£>Ense
OF THE
ath.
PART the FIRST.
A Treatise of Mr. TlmnasBaynpfield
2)^r- SABBAT K
The Second Edition.
■j ' ■ V "' _
BY
0 WV WIL LIS, D.D. And Profeflbr ofG w «e^
in the Umven. ; of OXFORD.
fs — —
^primatur.
HEN. ALDRIC H t
Vice-Can. Oxon.
OXFORD,
anted by L. LkbfieU, And are to be Sold by Tbomastiennet,
at the Half-Moon in St. 7W> Churchward, ZMr. 1%. 1
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7 Washington LI, D.C. ID
AT) fERTISEMEHT.
THe firft Edition of this Difcourfe 1 d
being all Difperfed, and fcarce to be ha
fi»ce wStime Mr. BamffieU hath pubhft
!pJv to which there is a Rejomder now ;
the Frefs It is thought advifable to repn
lias (with very little alteration) page for pa
Jbtfore, fo asnot to diforder the Citation*
I
^—7
^^^^^^^^^
DISCOURSE
Concerning The
Chriftian Sabbath.
SIS, Jm* 12. 1691.
I Had a while fince a Book fent me by the Carrier ( I know
not well from whom) of Mr. Thomas Bamffitd, which in
the Title-Pagers faid to be Printed for the Author 1 6$>i.
It is Concerning the Sabbath. Which he thinks fhotild
rather be Obferved on what we call Saturday, than on
what we call Sunday. J •
I ftiould 'not, on this Account, give any Difturbance to the
Peace or Practice of the Church where I live, fo that a Sabbatlf
be duly Obferved as to the Subftantiah of it, though perhaps not
upon what day I fhould ehufe.
For I do not know, and I believe no man living can tell me,
whether what we now call Sunday y be a Ftrft, a Second, a Third,
or a Seventh day, ip* continued Circulation of Weeks from the
Creation. And what \t'n impoffible for me to know, I think will
be no Crime to be Ignorant of Nor hath this Author any other
way than common Tradition, (on which he is not willing that
we ftiould lay weight,) whereby to guefs, which is the Firft, or
which is the Seventh day, in fuch a Circulation of Weeks, ei-
ther from the Creation, or even from Chriji\ Time,
■ I am fufficiently fatisfied that we ought to keep * Sabbathfint
is, a day of Holy Reft, after Six days ?[ ordinary labour, accor-
ding to the Fourth Commandment : and this in a continued
Courfe or Circulation : But I am not certain, nor can I bc,\vhich
f *n Sabbath.
is a Firftfor a Seyemh day in fuch a Circulation of Weeks from
the Creation. And therefore fiiall content my felf to'obferve
day which I find obferved in the Church where I live. In
Old England I obferve the Sabbath which here Ifind; And if I
were in New- England, I would cbferve the Sabbath which I find
obferved there. Though 1 think* it may be difputable whether
they and \ye may be ftidto obferve the fame day, ( the Firft Me-
ridian paflin^ between them and us.) And yet I would^not advifc
to have it changed in cither. _i \ vJL
Now I can hardly think, that God hath laid the great ftrefs of
lb weighty a Point | as whereon the mam of Gods publick Wor-
lhip doth much depend ) on fuch a Circumftance as is irapoflible
for, us to knew, and t of which we may be modeftly ignoraut
1 (houhj rather think that what Chrift fays of the" P/ace,Joh. 4.
it, 13. The hour turns th when yc fhatt neithtr in this M^Kictn
norm Jerufalem yotfhip the Father, but the true worfhipers JbaS
mrfhip the Father in Spirit and in Truth, is in good meafnre true
of the Time alio ; And, as, it is not fopmerial whether in this or
that Place, God be Worflilped, fo he be IVorjh fed bright : fo nei-
ther is it (b material, whether on this or that day^s, that a Sab-
bath or day of Holy Reft be duly kept. The publick Worfhip of
God, was then in great nieafure confined to the Temyle ; not in-
differently, in any place vuithin thy Gates, but inthej)lace which
the Lord thy God JbaS chafe, to put his name there. Dent. 1 6. 6,11,
t j, 16. Foe which any other place m?y wjwbc'as well affigned ;
that men pray every where lifting up holy hands , &c, 1 Tim. 2. 8,
(Privately in private places, and Publibkly in places appointed
tor the publics. ) And I do not think we are now more confined
to the Jewifi Sabbath^ than to the feiwijh Temple.
This nrt mile d, 1 can agree with this Author in many things
T agree, that Our Lord Jefus Qhtrlt{ztQO&itig to his Divinity)
\v& God (and is fo) the true God 7 the God that made Heaven and
Earth, the God who delivered the La w upon Mount Sinai For though
we do acknowledgCj in iheGodhead, a Trinity of Per fons ; Father,
Son, and Holy Ghoft, "(whereof Chrift rtccorcfihg to his Divinity
]s called the Secon^ferfon, the Son of God, or God the Son;) yet
thofc Three Terfohs arc hut One [ (j<$/ Nor do t kno\v| atfy other
true GWbut One, The God that made Heaven and Earth, The Lord
Jehovah, The GW of Abraham, Tfaac and Jacob, The Lord God of
Ifraei The Lord then God'who brought them out of the Land of
Egypt, out of the Houp of Bondage, and befides whotnw ate to have
* * no
Tlie Christian Sabbath, 3
no Other Gpd, The God who delivered the Law to them on \3lount
Skat ; Add I do agree that Our Lord Jejiis Chrilt, u ( as to his
Divinity ) this God, the True Gq&, %he$nely true God y md that he
was fo before his Incarnation. Ho^ far each of thofe Anions are
to be afcribed to this or that Terfon of the Trinity, we need not
be over felicitous What in the New Teftaraent is.mw peculiarly
afcribed to this or that of the Three Pcrfons, is in the Old Telia -
ment wont to be afcribed to God indefinitely, ■ without fuch par-
ticular application ; the doftrine of the Trinity being then net
fo diftinctly difcoYered, Biit I cannot agree that Chrift as God
and Man (in contradi(tin#ion to the Father. and Holy Ghoji) did
all thofe things , for he was not then Man.
I agree with him alfo, that God who made the World in Six
days, Refted the Seventh day, Gen. z. 2,3. Exod. 20. 1 1. And that
he Bkfj'ed the Sabbath day and Hallowed it. And that accordingly
he hath appointed after Six days of ordinary Labour, Man Ihould
obferve a Seventh day of Holy Jieft, and this in a continued fucv''
But I fhotijd rather fay, that our Lard Jefus Chrift is (accor-
ding to his Divinity) that God who Bkftedthe Seventh day Gen. a-
than , that the God who Bkfjed the Sabbath day, is the Lord Jefus
Chtift; (as he doihp. 64. and elfcwhere very often, iceming ro
lay great ftrefs upon it;) Ktir he was not then the Lord Chrift (God
and Man) nor did he bfefs has Chrift,, but as God; in Union
with the Father and Holy Ghoft, not as cohtradiflinguithed
from them,
I agree alfo, that the Law of the Sabbath is one of the Decalogue
or Ten Commandments delivered to Ifraei on Mount Sinai, Ex. zo.
But 1 am willing to think it was a Law before. Not only be-
*aufc we find it obierved.iuW. 16. (before the giving of the I aw
on Mount Sinai, Ex. 20. ) hut efpeciallyv becaufc of that in Gen.
*. God bleffed the Seventh day and Sati&ified it, becaafein it hp
refted pom all his Wvrk. And thofe who are mod averie to the
Morality (as it is wont to be called ) or the 'Perpetuity of the Sab-
bath, or Day of Holy Heft, and are yet very zealous for the Holu
nefs of "Places, would be very fond of jt if they could findfo clear a
Teftimonjyand fo ancient^ for the holinefs ot Tlact x as here is for
that of T&** *
I agree alfo that the Law of the Decalogue or Ten Command-
ments, though then given peculiarly to Ifraei, is Obligatory to
Us alfo, For^though fome Claufes therein do peculiarly reipecl
them ; as that who brot4ght thee out of the land of Egypt out of the
4, The Christian Sabbath.
bode of bondage, and that thy dayt may be hngm tbc knd whkk
the Lord thy 6W nveth thee, (which I think is there faid with a
mnicular reflect to the land oi Canaan, which God gave to //rat/
not to us-) \et the Ef d >' of lhat Law and lhe P rece P uve P artot
it I take to be Obligatory to others alfo, and to Us in particu-
lar • the Decalogue being 'Declarative ol whatwas(I think } a Lata
before (however neglected or forgotten, ) and is by Chnft and
his Apoftles frequently cited as fuch, even to Gentiles as well
Nor will I difpute it with him, whether the Sabbath were ob-
ferved from the Creation to the Fhud For I am wiling to think
that if it were not, it fhould have been, though, in the ftiort
Hiftorv that dMofes gives us of that time, there be no memion
made of fuch obfervation. Bat I doubt it was not mtverjaUy fo
obferved if at all. For when aU jtefh had corrupted their ways,
I doubt the Sabbath day and theWorftup of that day were by them
not much regarded. Nor do i find {Gen. 2J>) anj r exprefs Conu
(fuch as he demands for the Ftrjt days Sabbath) that it
fhould be obferved theneefoith by Men, every S^mthdayoixhc
Week for ever. How far the words he bleffed and fantitfied it
may extend I will not difputc. It may be ijlrong Intimation (and
I think it is,) But it is not exprefiy faid, that, M xMfkndmtifi,
for ever after, obferve every Seventh day, in every Week, of days,
reckoned continually from thefirft Creation. Nor do I think It nc-
ceiTarv to have been fo recorded by Mofes, (any more, than the
Law for Sacrifices, ) if it did otherwife appear to have been the
Will of God. And therefore I would not have him lay too great
a ftrefi on what he faith, that there is no exprefs Commandment
Recorded in the New teftament, for obferving the Firji day : It is
enough if we there find fufficient Intimation for us to judge that
God was pleafed to have it obferved. '
I fay the like as to the time from the Floud to that ol Abra-
ham and from thence to the coming of Ifrael out of Egypt For
I do not find any mention of their obferving a Sabbath ( either m
the Writings of Mofes, or the Book ot Job) earlier than that ol
Exod \6> after Ifraels coring out of Egypt, and after the time
that God is laid to have made a Jlatute and ordinance for them at
Marah Ex 15- What that Statute and Ordinance was, we
cannot tell. The Jewifh Writers think (or fome of them) that
it was that of the Sabbath ;m& perhaps it might, or this be fome
n?rtof it It was perhaps a Revival of what had been before
liifded. Nor is it likejy that their Task-Mailers in Egypt
would
The Christian Sabbath* t
would fuffer them to be Idle, and negleft their Work, one whole
day in Sercn. *»^> * > T) if, . k V i
Nor do I find any foot-flepsin Hiflory that any other Nation
but the Jews did (for many Ages after this time) fe much as mea-
fure out their time by Weeks.
I know that many Learned and Pious men have been fcarching
to that purpole and willing to lay hold on any thing that might
feemtolook that way, Andlfhould be well enough plea fed to
fee it made out. But I have not feen any thing convi£Uve to give
me fausfa&ion therein. mli ... rvu .11;
I have confuhed Clemens Alexandrinus, arid what he cites in
the Fil th Book of his Stromata, who hath I believe made the bell
fearch of any into Heathen Writers lor that purpofe. His defign
in that Book is to (hew that the Heathens had ftojlen or borrowed
much of their Thilofophy from what he calls Philofophia Barbara
or Barbarorum, meaning thereby the Jew/Jh Learning; I for, with
the Greeks, all but themfelves were Barbarians.) And amongft
many other things, he takes notice of the number Seven fome-
times mentioned in Heathen Writers, as with fome veneration ;
which he thinks to be occafioned from that number oft mentioned
in the Sacred Writers , and particularly from that of their Sab-
hathy and meafuring their time by Weeks. But he doth not at all
intimate as if himlelf did think the Heathens fo to have divided
their time, or to keep that Sabbath, but only that they were ac-
quainted with the Jewifh Learning, and borrowed much of theirs
from thence.
That which therein feemed to me the moil promifing (and by
others alfo is oft alledged) was that cited from Hefiod, i, it-iU*
JMpr ftp*? [the Seventh a Sacred day,) But when Iconfultcd the
place in Hefiod, in his %ty* t itd&t, (in the latter part of which
he treats of c Days) I find nothing thereof fVecks, or days of (he
JVeek, but only days of thet^Month, For 'tis this he there propo-
feth to fpeak of, Ttwjfo i tbe Thirty days of the Mnth,) on
which he makes divers Remarks ; as, which of them were to be
accounted Good days, and which Bad days, and, for what purpojes.
And begins with thefe,
T» jS 'AtfBtt.ai/* %ynis££ ^Utn AnV.
{Begin ue with the FtrB, and the Fourth, and the Seventh, the Sa-
cred day, Becaufe that on this day Apollo wh& hath the Golden
^ Sword
6 The Christian Sabbath.
Sword was born 0/Latona. ) So that (it fcems) the Seventh day (not
the Ftrjl) was then Sunday. (For Apollo with his Gold Sword, is but
another name for the Sun.) But it was the Seventh ly of thr
tffonth, not the Seventh day of the Week, (for of Weeks he there
Jays nothing. ) And he then goes on to fpeak of the Eighth and
Ninth days ; then of the Eleventh and Twelfth, next of the Tbir-
teenth, and fo of other days of the Month ; {hewing which of them
were accounted Lucky days, and which Unlucky, and for what
Affairs. But nothing of Weeks at all.
However, /#/Whimfelf, though one of the Oldcft of the Hea-
then Writers, is but young as to the times we fpeak of; who is
reckoned to have lived about the time of King Uzziah, Seven
Hundred years after the time we arc now confidering, upon the
coming of IJ'rael out of Egypt. Nor doth Clemens Akxandrinus
think, wlrcn they name Seven, it was from any OldTradition (from
Adam or Noah) but from what acquaintance they then had with
the Jewifli Writers of later time. , vi.v. u> s.Ij
Nor do 1 find any thing that is more to thepurnofe, in ail there
cited by Clemens Alexandrhms than this of He/iod But if any
where he could have found, that the Heathens divided their Time
by Weeks ; no doubt but he would have mentioned this as borrow-
ed from the Jewi/h Learning; ( which was the thing he was there
inquiring after.) And, when he faith nothing of it, we maybe
lure he could not find it. I find indeed that fomc of the Heathens
(as Terfms and Lucian) do laugh or jeer at the Jewifli Sabbath
{recutitaque Sabbatapallent) and therefore did know of the Jewifli
Sabbath ; But not that they did obferve it, or fo much as divide
their Time by Weeks.
Now if we fhould admit, that in fome Families (where the
true Woifhip of God was preferved) there be aftrong prcfumption
(for 'tis no more) that they did obferve a Sabbath; that is,* Seventh
day of Holy ReB after Six days of ordinary Labour; yet 'tis a que-
ftion, whether that were juft the Seventh day in a continual luc-
ceffion of Weeks f t&ra Ae Creation; ;
And if at any time there chance to be an intermidion, and the
day forgotten, it is impoffible (without a Miracle or anew Reve-
lation) that it can be reftored again. And if from thenceforth they
would again keep a Sabbath (as we mid the Pafs-over was revived
by Hezekiah and Jojiah which had been long intermitted z Kings
23. and 1 Chr. iy.) they muft begin at adventure, and thence
Now if we coftfider, that the true Worfhip of God wa*oft re-
duced
The Christian Sabbath. 7
Iduced to fome one family, as in the time of Noah, and perhaps of
Abraham; and even that Family foraetimcs corrupt enough, (as
was that of Nahvt, f rom whence AbtaJ:am for that reafon was re-
moved ; and that ot Laban where Jacob fojouraed; and how pit
alfo the like happened, we cannot tell ) Jt was very poUible the
Sabbath might be negleftcd as himfelf ebferves ^. 6j, it had
leen before and under the Captivity for a long time, M\d made a
Market-Jay, as well as any other day of the Week ; like as the
Temple was become a tJMarket. place, Mat. 21. 12,13. Job. 7. 14.
16. As was alfo the Pafs-over in great meafure from the time of
StmucluW that of Jofiab, 1 Chr. 37. 18. And the Feaft of Taber-
nacles, horn the days of Jofbuah to Nebemiab,Hd\. 8. 17. And
Circumeifion,for Forty years together in the Wildernefs^A s>$-
t Now ifCircumci/ioH and the 'Pafs.over and the Feaft of T aberna-
les were thus neglefted when they were at Liberty.-^ how much
tore the Sabbath, when they were Band men in Egypt ; of which
fce have not the leafi mention f rom God's keeping a Sabbath, Gen.
1. 3. till af ter lfracls coming out of Egvpt, Exvd. 16. •
^ Nor is there the leaft mention (as 1 fhew'd but now ) in any
ftdry Sacred or Profane, fo much as of dividing their time by
'eeks, all that time ;nor,except that of Ifrael,for many Ages after.
And though the Sun, Moon and Stars (Gen. 1. 1 + ) are faid to
for Signs and for Seafons,for 7)ays and for Teas, yet not a word
rhere of Weeks. Nor could they indeed, by their Motions, di-
nguifh Weeks, as they do Months and Tears. And therefore
ough I find Tears and Months to have been obferved all the
World over long ago; yet Weeks no where (that I know) of
cicnt times, but by the Nation of the Jews oncly, nor by them
fore their coming out of Egypt.
So that, though, I am willing to think, the Sabbath oughTto
e been obferved all that while, yet there is too much reafon
doubt it was not ; or, if at all, not without frequent intermilli-
s, which would, in this cafe, be fatal.
Now to argue as he doth, that Abel,' and Enoch, and Noah, and
-aham, were good men, and are (fome of theni)faid to wa!{ with
^ and to keep his Commandments, and therefore may be pre-
nwd to have kept a Sabbath, is but a weak argument as to matter
WFdff, arid, to begg the Qjiejtion For we arc not to think them fo
as to be guilty of no failings ox omiffims.
The Law of Mairiage is ceitainly as Old, if not Older than
tof the Sabbath, the tenour of which was (he tells us p. 6x.)
t they Two fhould be one fejh; not y t hey Three, lour cr Ftve : yet
he
8
The Christian Sabbath.
he tells us alfo, that Toligamy, or having many Wives, w fre-
quently praSlifed, from Lamch to Malachi, even byjome eminent in
the Church at that time, and by them [be fuppofeth) held to be lawful
And it may as well be thought, the Law for the Sabbath might
fometime (within that TwoThoufand Ftve Hundred Tears) be neg-
lected and forgotten ; as that of Mairiage ; In a time when there
was no writing (that we know of ) to preferve it. And, if once
forgotten, it could never (as to that Seventh day) be recovered.
And I would ask that Gentleman, In cafe the day fhould chance
to have been fometime forgotten, (as is very poflible and not un-
likely,) and that after fuch time (upon finding the Book of the Law,
as in Jofiah's time 2 Kings n. 8. which had been loft) it did ap-
pear that a Sabbath Jhould have been kept, but was not, (as was there
the cafe of the Toft-over, Chap. 23. 21.) What doth this Gentleman
;think (in fuch cafe) fhould be done ? Muft they never Refiore the
Sabbath becaufe they do not know the day ? Or muft they begif
upon a New Account f I fhould think this latter ; (and that it would
be warranted by the Fourth Commandment ; ) notwithftanding his
Objeftion, No other day (but the Seventh from the Creation) U
Commanded-, No Tromifexo the Obfervance of any other; nor
Threatning for the Omiilion. a rtA> \\ > ]
Indeed in our days when fo great a part of the World reckon by
IVecks, and we be ftored with Aftronomical Tables adjufted to
the Motions of the Sun, Moon and Stars, and many Celeftial Ob.
fervations, (as for Inftance, that fuch a Year, fuch a Day, of fuch
a Month there was an Eclipfe on Monday morning, or the like^
'twere more eafy to re&ify fuch an intermiflion. But in thofc
day^, when there was nothing of all this, nor fo much as the ufe
of Writing ( that we know of ) older than Mofes; There was no
way to reSify an interrupted Tradition.
All which is not faid to difparage the Obligation of the Sab-
bath day (for which I have as great Veneration as he that pleads
for the Saturday Sabbath,) But onely to fhew, that we can be at no
Certainly, (and fcarce a Conjecture,) which is the Firft, Second,
or Seventh day of the Week in a continued Circulation of Weeks
from the Creation. And coufequently I cannot think that the
great ftrefs of the Fourth Commandment is to be underflow
of juft /^/Seventh day. in every fuch Week f?c>m *he;X?re%
tion ( which I doubt cannot be known) But rather that there
fhould be a Weekly Sabbath ; that is, after Six days of Work, the
Seventh fhould be a Holy Reft, and then, after another Six day*
of Work, the Seventh fhould be again a Holy. Reft ; ajid fo cofl
tinu-
The Christian Sabbath. 9
tinually ; which is as truly obfervedin the Sunday-Sabbath, as in
that of Saturday.
As when God requires the Tenth of our Increafe ; it is not
meant of the Tenth m Order (for it fhould rather be the Firft in
Order, for he requires the Firjt-fruits) but the Tenth in Propor-
tion ; So here the Seventh.
And this Author knows very well, that it is fignally noted by
Expofitcrs on the Fourth Commandment, and other Writer's
about the Sabbath, That this Commandment begins with He-
member to ieep Holy the Sabbath-day, or the day of Reft, (not the
Seventh day ; much lefs the Seventh day of the Week from the
fiifi G eatton , ) And what is that day of Reft, the next Words
tell us, Six days (halt thou labour, but the Seventh is the Sabbath,
jyc. That is, after Six days of Labour, the Seventh {hall be a
day of Reft. And in the clofe of that Commandment (Ex. 20.
11.) our bibles have it wherefore the Lord bleffed the Sabbath-day
(not as we commonly repeat it, the Seventh day) and hallowed it.
The Reafon given to inforce it is, For in Six days the Lord made
Hewen and Earth &c. and refted the Seventh day^nd accordi ngl v
fhould we, after Six days of Work have a Seventh day of Reft,
and fo onward.
If he thinks that to make a difference, that we now reckon
our Weeks to begin with the day of Reft, and after that, Six
Working days (which in a continued Circulation comes all to
one,)I will allow that Gentleman (if that willpleafe him better)
to begin the Week on Monday, and then Sunday will be the Se-
venth. The Commandment fays nothing of the Seventh day of
the Week in a continued Succeflion from the Creatton ; but the
Seventh day after Six doys of Labour.
And whereas he obferves (and would lay great weight upon it)
that it i% (bafbebigiri} the Seventh (the article ha anfwering to our
the ) not a Seventh. Tis very true, and very proper fo to be. For
the meaning is not that, after Six days of Labour, there fhould be
a Seventh for Reft no matter when; but the Seventh day, that is, the
next day after thofe Six.
Bu: it is not faid the Seventh in Courfefiom the Creation. Juft
as when it is faid, a Male-Child is to be Circumcifed the Eighth
day, ic is not meant of an Eighth day in Courfe from the Creation;
but, the Eighth day from the Birth. And in like manner Ex. 1 2.
10. In the Seventh dy there (hall be a holy Convocation ; it is
not meant of the Seventh day % $f the Week from the Creation ; but
on the Seventh day of the %qfl of unleavened Bread, what ever
B day
bv_thc Ci ifor Adventist Kssfl^ch
lo The Christian Sabbath.
day of the Week that happen to be. ; And Exod. $6* 5,15*.
The Sixth and Seventh day there mentioned, feem plainly to
be, not the* Sixth and Seventh in courfe. frmytht \,Crt&tion
( which I doubt was not then known ) but iwnyihtfojt rmingrf
Jfrtflft jGti'frf; 3 yd -V- [\ vis salpp-i sd iol ( iobiQ
He'U fay perhaps, the Jews obfervedTuch Seventh from
the Creatim^ and that was their Sabbath, But that is morfetffcan
he or I know, or any man living. They had I grant, a Circuit
tion of Seven days, but from what Epocha we canno* tell. And
when Mofes tells them (on the Svtth day) Ex 16-12. To morrow is
the Jteji of the Holy Sabbath. It feems to be the fixing of a.u^
Epocha (from the nrft raining of; Manna) and then all his Argu-
ments, from the continual Obfervation of the Seventh day from
the Creation till that tarae,are at an end. Whether this(trom the
lirft raining of Mannd)\K the fame with that from the Creation ;
no man can tell. And there is Six to One odds that it is not.
Now, that there is a new Courfe.ofSa]>hathg(froiii a new begin-
ning) whereof this Seventh day from the firlt raining of Manna is
the Firft, and not a continuation of a former Courfe hitherto ob-
lcrved without interruption; feenrts farther evident from this
confideration, Becaufc, if this were but a continuation of that
uninterrupted Courfe of Sabbaths, then the, next Seventh day
before it, would have been a Sabbath alfo, and to have been in
like manner obferved ; that is* the next day before the firft rain-
ingof dMawia. But, on that day we find ( Exod. 16. n, 13. )
the §lmi/s came up and covered the Camp, without any Prohibition
to gather them. If therefore they might not ("now) gather Manna y
becaufe it was the Sabbath ; but might ( before ) gather Quails;
it fhould teem, that was not a Sabbath. *
And if it be not allowed, upon occafion, to fix a new Epocha ;
then if. the Circulation of" Weeks Irom the beginning of the
World (which was then above 25 00 years old ) did ever chance
tc have been interrupted, and the day forgotten, ( as in all likely-
hood it might be in Egypt, if not long before) or if ever after it,
fhould chance fo to be(as in the days of Jojiah when the Book of the
Law was lofi, and the Tafkover forgotten ;} men muft never keep
2. Sabbath thenceforth. For then all bit own Arguments return
upon him \ No other day is Commanded ('tis Will-worfhip) no Pr#-
mife to the Obfervance, no Threatning for the Negleft.
I fhould rather think, if that day were unknown ( as I believe
it is) Any day were better than Nfi*f at all For God's Corn-
Bunds do more refpeft the Subftance of the Duty than the Cir-
The Christian Sabbath. it
cumftance of Time, efpecially if they cannot both be had.
Circumcifion was to be Adminiftred on the Eighth day, accor-
ding to the Inflitution, (I do not mean the Eighth day of the
Weckj but the Eighth day of the Chi/ds Age; and therefore on
me fatne day of the Week on which the Child was Born.) But if
by Accident or Default it were omitted, it might bedoneany day
af ter, rather than not at all. Abraham we know was 99 years
old, and Ifhmael 13 when they were Circumtifed, (and what was
the Age of other Males in Abraham's Family, we cannot tell;)
and a Profelyte, at itiy Age, ^$ to be Circumci fed ; (though
perhaps it were not remembrcd on what day of the Week lie uas
Born;)and thofc who were horn in the Wilderncfs for Forty years
tot ether, were all Circumci fed at once, Jofh. y. 4, 9. (though
not all born on the fame day of the Week]
The Pafs-over was appointed to be eaten ftanding, with their
Loyns girt, their Shoes on their feet, and their Staffs in their
hand, as in haft to be gon# Ex. r 2, - Yet our Saviour feemeth to
have Eaten it Sitting, m rather L$iitg, And none of ihemwerc
iojiir out of doors tiU morn}ng, Ex 1 i, 11. Yet Chrift and his
Difciples went out the lame night to the mount 1 of 'Olives, and
thence to Getkfhnanc, Mat. 26. 30, -$6.
The Shew-bread was td^be eaten by the Prieftsonly : yet our
Saviour obferves that David did eat erf it (on a fpecial occa(ion)
without Warning him foir fo doit^g;
The Rechabites are commended Jcr. 3 1 . for obeying the Corn-
mand oi Jonathan their Father, not to drink ffwe, nor build Efoa-
fes,but to dwell intents &c. Yet did they,upon Nebuchadnezzar's
Invafion, quit their Tents and repair to Jerufakm ; nor is it re-<
pined a Difobedicnce.
[ The Tafchal Lamb was 'to be killed the Fourteenth day oftheFirjl
Month at Evening : Yrt4f tael^^mfider how little knowledge they
had in thofe days, of the Sun and Moons motions, and if we coiv
tfder what the Jewifh Writers tell us of their very uncertain
Meth«! of judging, which was the F ir ft Month ^ and which the
Fourteenth day of that Mtmth, we (hall find they were at great
uncertainties, as to the jtrtt day ,; yet was not the Service thereof
to be negleftcdj'uppn pfetejlfe there was danger of milling the
right d&y* h 'um;r! m.^uu v.->fn iMfvimop
For they had not Almanacks in thofe days, as wc have no*. 7 ,
to tell us be fore hand when will be a new Moon. But (if wc may
believe the Jewifli Writers ) their manner was, about the $we
when they evpeftcd a New-Mootr, to ftnd men to watch for iron
B z the
m
ix The Christian Sabbath.
the Top of fome Hill or high place ; and he who could firft dif-
cover a New-Moon, was to tell the Prieft, and he to blow the
Trumpet to give the People notice that there was a New-Moon,
(much like our Cuftom at Oxford, at the time of the Jjjizes, to
let fome on St. Maries Steeple to watch when the Judges are com-
ing, and then to Ring the Great Bell to give notice to thofe con-
cerned that the Judges are at hand;) But, in cafe of Cloudy
Weather, if in three days time from their firft Expe&ation no
man could fee a New-Moon, they did then venture (but not be-
fore) to blow the Trumpet without feeing it, which nnifl needs
caufe a great uncertainty ; and the fame Moon fooner feen atone
place than at another, and the Pafs-over kept accordingly. And
tis manifeftin the Story of our Saviours laft Pafs-over, that he
kept it on one day and the Jews on another ( perhaps he about a
Fortnight before, might fee a New-Moon, a day fooner than they
did.) Sogreat uncertainty there was at that time, as to the parti-
cular day, though the Institution was punctual for the Fourteenth
i day of the Firft Month. And the like uncertainty there was as
to all their Feafts of New-\3loons.
And even in our days, when the Motions of the Sun and Moon
are much better known than at that time they were, we are far
from being exaft in point of time. Our Rule for Eafter is much
the fame with theirs for the Tafi-over ; The Rule in general is
this, The Sunday next after the Fourteenth day of the Ftrft *3lonth
is to be Eafter day. But when we come to make particular ap-
plication, we do ftrangely mifs of our Rule. And our Pafchal
Tables which thould direft us, do put us farther out than it we
had none at all.
For (by reafon that we take the length of our common year a
little too long, by about Eleven minutes of an hour, and the
length of our Months too long alfo; ) lince the time that thofe
Tables were made, 'tis well knqyriv that the beginning of our
Ecclefiallical Firft Month, is Ten or t Eleven days later than that
of the Heavens ; and our Ecclefiallical New-Moons and Full-
Moons, is later by Four or Five days than thofe of the Heavens.
x Whereby we do very often raiftake the cj/tfiw//;, and yet oftner
the true Week, for keeping of Eafter. And though Pope Gregory
the Eighth, did (fomewhat more than an Hundred years ago)
fom^wnat re&ify the Calendar, yet both Papifts and Proteftants
do obferve, fome the Newer Gregorian, and fome the Older "Ju-
lian account, and ( in the United Provinces of the Netherlands )
* one Town obferves one account, and the next the other account
and
The Christian Sabbath. 13
and accordingly keep their Eaters (if at all) at Three, Four or
five Weeks, diftance. >U a.'ivfr v t^L* ' [J*
And fo for Chriftmas-day. Tis not agreed atuongftChronoIo-
gers either what Year,or what Month, much lefs what day o. that
Muuh r our Saviour was born, yet we keep "December i^m
memory of, his Birth, as fuppofing him to have been then born.
Yet we are at fo great uncertainty, that we reckon the year
169% from his Circumcijion, to begin the Firft of January ' ; but
the fame year as from his Conception, not till the is th ot dMarcfi
next following ; as if his Birth andCircumcifion had been a quar-
ter of a year before, his Conception.
And if we be now at fo great an uncertainty, in fo lhort a Pe-
riod as from the Birth of- Chrift, I do not think the Jews could
be ounftual, as to a day, in obferving their Pafs-over ; and much
lels, as to a day from the Creation of the World.
HeTfay perhaps, that Eafter and Chnftmas being ot humane
Institution, it is not much matter though .ye mifs the day,
nor much matter perhaps whether it be kept or nq. Be nfo;
But the Pafs-over was of Divine Inftitution ; yet were they a;
a great uncertainty, and might chance to mifs more than a day
or two ; yet was not the Duty to be therefore ncgktted. The
miftake of a Day was of much lefs concernment thai) the neglett
of the Duty ; As was the Ttthing of Mint, and Anmfe, than the
weightier things of the law. Thefe Jittle Qircuwftances are but
Shaddows, in comparifon of the Suhftanfe y as the Xompanfon
isCW.2. 17. t -.//i.in.^ I, tbirfw ) ; V^j* - 1 v\\ »v>L:
Which is not faid to incourage any one to violate the Law* i »
God, even in little things, ( for we find Qod fometimes very fe-
vere even in fuch ; as in the Cafe ot (fzzah's touching the Ark,
and Nadab and Abihus offering Jlrange Fire ; for Reafons beft
known to hirafelf, of which we are not; aware. ) But onely to
{hew that the Subltantials of a Duty are to.be regarded more than
Circumftantials ; and thefe upon occafion to give way to thofe.
And in fuch Cafes (if it were a fault) the Prayer of Hezthah
( i Chr. 30. 18. ) is to take place, The good Lord pardon every one
that prepare th his heart to feek God, though he be not cleanfed accor-
ding to the Turification of the SanBuary. And his Servicers ac-
cepted, though (as it is exprcfly noted) they did eat the Taft-over
ctherwife than as it was written. And, tn the Second Month, in
ftcad of the FtrJ^ rn \ l ; r -i J*lf ! 11 V i /l • • '
N ,<to And doubtlefsin the prefent cafe, If we do not know (as cer-
tainly we do not) which is the Ftrft or Seventh day in a continual
* ^ 4 1 Orcu-
;itized by the Cen
- The Christian Sabbath.
Circulation from the. Creation, it is much better to keep a. Week-
ly Sabbath on any day of the Week whatever, than to keep none
at all 7 and much more agreeable to the tniemeankg of the Fourth
Commandment. { j. - v prirJ* , j
All which is faid, partly by way of Caution, not to be forward
upon flight grounds, to difturb the Peace and fetied pWtiti
of the whole Chri/han Church at this day, il ft ?i
Partly to take off what he would have to be admitted but can-
not be proved, that the Seventh day in a' continued Circulation
of Weeks from the firft Creation, wife obferved as the Weekly
Sabbath, from the Creation to the Flood v from thence to Abra-
ham; from thence to Ifraeh coming out of Egypt ; ahrt :: ffom
thence till after the Refurre&ion oP (Shrift, Which I think is
impoifiWc for any man to krtow, r
And partly to fatisfy what he objefts from the Fourth Com-
mandment Which faith indeed that there is to be a gefit on the
Seventh day after Six days of Labour^ but not a word of its being
fUch Seventh day in a continual Circulation of Weeks from the
Creation. And therefore we are fate hitherto, for ought 1 fee.
But He come up a little nearer to him; He may perhaps tell
ns, (though I do not find he doth) that the jews ' did certainly
keep their Weekly Sabbath (at the -wine of our Saviours dtfctttii
on What they called the Seventh day. If not on the Seventh day
of the Week from the Creation (oi which we can have no cer-
taimy) at leafUn the Seventh day ol the Week, as the Weeks
were then reckoned; (which I readily grant him;)' atid that
they had fodone foT -a long time before, and perhaps from the
time of giving the Law on Mount Sinai. (And it may be fo; for
ought I know, but we cannot ht certain,} And what was then
ca cd the Firft day of the f^eek, was another day from what they
ca ed the Seventh (*hieh I admitSallbv) And that, what they
called the Seventh day, u now what we call Saturday, and what
they called the Firft day 5s what we now call Sunday. But this, I
feVJ is more than he or I know. He may think fo : and fo do I -
but I am not fure of it. '
;The reafon why I think fo t is, becaufe I thmk that Chrift or
lm ApoIUes (according to Chrifts direction) did remove the
obfervation of the Sabbath, from the Seventh to the Firft day of
the Week, arid that we havener finee kept the Sabbath as they
did, (tor I do, not know that it hath been fince altered ) and as
we now k eepit on Sunday, fo I believe they did ; arid *he*fore
think that our Sunday is what they ealkd the Firft day.
And
The Christian Sabbath, iy
And if the ApolHes did then remove it from their Seventh
ay to their Firft day, I prefume they haddireaion from Chrift
S> to do, who -aftci* his Refurreihon^MttV him/rif to thm fir
f^irfy Jays , giving, Commandments to An Apsjilesjfzakmg to them
■jfifatfj fmming to the Kingdarn of God, Ads i. z\ i And
therefore, what th^/did afterwards in ietling ihc Chnilian
urch, they did (wi are to prefrme) according to fuch Dire-
ns and Conimandmeiits ,of Chnit, and this in particular of fo
loving the ObicrvatjorttoLthe Safrbftth day, it they did remove
^Mj^I- th : >; . done) by his Authority who was Lord of the
Sabbath day;M%X^.\%&\ £*iJfcJ£
But if they did not fo remove ;t; I do not know that it hath
"fince been changed. For I think we .kqop the fame Sabbath
ujhich they did* rand that the Chriltian Church hath ever fince
ft done ; ajid doth pretend fa .to have done, by a conftanjc Tradi-
tion ever fince. And we therefore think aw Sunday to be their
Eirft day of.the Week, becaufe we think; their Sabbath fo to have
■b^n; %utni we rttikdfetin that Tradition, .we are ( for ought
I know) accordingly xriifbfcc^ m thinking Sunday to be their
Firft day ; ( For we have nothing btit Tradition for either.) And
then lor ought he can fhew (by better than Txaditkm) to the
Contrary, our Sunday may be their Seventh day, . And then he
nath no pretenfe to quam jwij&b it^i , ; ; ? ovvjI yrjn , "m >: : j;
: Ji he lay the Jews-do at this day keep Saturday as thcif Seventh
<fey. I conies they do. But they do no more, know which is
the Seventh day ; than we, which is the Fxrft.day^ And becaufe
they find that Chriftians generally take Sunday to Be what was
before called the Full day, they do accordingly take Saturday to
b$ their Seventh day. Bui their Tradition is of no greater Au-
thority than ours. All depending upon this, that aur Sunday
^U3g that Sabbath jwhicfo ^w/^think Chriit or bis Apofiles did
•PPOi-nt, we take it to be^the Firft d&y, becaufe Chrift -or his
ApolUes ;by Chrifls dire&ions ) did remove the obfervation of
the Sabbath to that day. ^i^v .,
He 'I fay pefhap^if dfe not my felf think our Sunday to be
thear Seventh day. And then, why fhould not our Sabbath be
P 'Tis true, I do not ri}ink\our SBbiay to be their Seventh day.
And I have told you the reafon why I do not think it ; Becaufe I
think Chrift or his Apoftley did change the day, and for that rea-
fon only. And for the fame leafon I think, our Sabbath fhould
Was now it is, and as I ithink' it hacli^ been ever fince. But if I be
id ruiftaken
Digitized -by the Ca
dentist Resear<
16
The Christian Sabbath.
miftaken in it, I may be miftaken in the other alfo : But, either
way, Sunday 13 yet to be our Sabbath.
He fafc, It it is no where exprefif faid in Scrif>ture 7 thzi the Apo-
files dUKps change it True, and 'tis no where faid hi Scripture
that ou«unday is not their Seventh day. It may be the fame
for oughfil know, (and for ought he knows ) if it were not then
changed. Though, "becaufe I thij^k the day was then changed,
I do therefore think it is not thfcffame. And if it were not
changed, then all the difference 'is, that what they called the
Seventh day of their Week, we call the Firft day of our Week.
Which, if the Author do not like, he may call Monday- the Firft
day, and then Sunday will be the Seventh/as it was before.'' ^
But I fay further ; There be many things, even as to the Wor-
fliipof God, which we may reafonably think to have toff
though it be not exprejlyfaidfo ji but ohlf to be colle&ed by cpn*
fequence from what is faid. -
Tis no where faid cxprefly, that, after the 'Firft Sabbath of
God himfelf, {Gen. % 1) any other Sabbath was ever kept be-
fore that in Exod. id. which was above Two Thoufand and Five
Hundred Years after. Xtt this Author would have us think it
was obferved all that while ; and that it was commanded fo to be,
which yet is no where faid exprefly. Buc a flight preemption,
it {eems, may lerve his turn, but not ours.
Tis known that God was Worfhiped by Sacrifices very early ;
at leaf! as early, as that of Cain and Abel ; and thattbis Wor-
ftli|> was ac6§pted of God, at leaft that of Abel; And" therefore
I luppofe thisJiujhor would have us think it was Commanded,
(not a meei* fm$~w&rfiip 7 without any Dire£tion or Indention
Ironi Godr)*Yet we are no where told, of any fuch Command or
Inflitotion. • %u w*pb llk< lztm uttfeftyoju
We may faythelikeof Jacob's confecrating a Pillar, by pomng
Oyl upon ltflk 28, 18. though we do nor find mention, before
that time, of any^direftion for any fuch Confecratmn ( of things
or perfons ) by Anointings or Fearing on 0/1
Wc have aifo realbn to think there jfas %cne Command from
God, that the Fire for Incenfe (hould'BS^tfen from. the ^//^ir,
(or Tomewhat oflike nature; ) elfe NadaF&hd Abibu \fcttiid not
have been deftroyed for Offering ftrange Fire. 1 Yet we are noi
where told expreffy of any fuch Command.
We have no particular Command (that I know of) for Bap-
tizing of Infants, nor any particular mention in Scriprure of
any fiich Baptised. Yet I do not know that this Author would
have
Jflftt, €»R I S;T I A JI2 S A B B A TH. i 7
have, us thence. infer,, -that nbne fuch were baptized, or that
they ought not fo to be.
Nor have we any exprefs memiott.of Wsmtns receiving the
other Sacrament , nor any exprefs Comrfiatad for their fo doing
( any more than for Female* being Gi rtiuncifed ), yet I know not
any who doth therefore tMnfc: they ought not. ..;
We know that Ghiidren were reputed -Members- of the Church
of God befbreSCjbrifts coming; and we have no neafon to think
that/Chrift did, put, them out (and make them in a worfe con*
dmon than they were before ) but rather wotild have them con-
tinued to be ; and feenw to favour it, by that oi fajfer Utile ChiU
dr en to, come to n&md 'forbid [tfcte not ; f^ t tffmi\tsibc:Kp^iom
of Heaven Mar. lov't^ahd did accordingly embrace thtt4 as liich.
And therefore, as {before ) they , were Gircunicifed } (which wagi
then the Sacrament ot Adnijtflion ;) So they fh6uld { now ) be Bapk
tmd (which is our Sacrament of Adraiflion;) And when we find
whole Fmntlies to. be Baptized, we cannot think but that there
might be little Children in fome of thenv ; (and more likely lb rhan
otherwise.) And we are^nfuch cafes,to pra&ife scolding to what
we may judge by what ( we find. , We fihd alfo. that Women were
Baptized (though not Circumajed 'in the Jew Hh Church,) yet wc
have jm C$mmand for fo doing. And becaufe there feems to be
the fame reafen for Womens receiving the other Sacrament as for
tSMen 7 (and,* we find nothing to the contrary,) therefore we do
now pra&ife it (as the moft likely to be God's Will, according to
the Light we now have) though we find in Scripture neither ex*
prefs Precept nor Example for it,
In XM manner k is no Argument that Chrift or hisApoftles
did not make fuch a change, becaufe in Scripture it is not exprejfy
jfoid fo. 'Tis enough if we there find fo much as that we may
thence reafonably Judge they didfo'; and more likely fo than not.
Now I meet with fo much there to that purpofc, as makes me
judge they did. And fo much as ( I believe ) would make this
Gentleman fo to think, if he were not otherwise prepoflefled with
prejudice ; and with agreat fondnefs to find out fome what where-
with to find fault.
1 fiud that Chrift, on the. very day' of his RefuiTeftion (which
was thc;,/^ day of their Week) did not only appear to the good
Women at the Sepulchre (who fought him there) and declare
to them the RefuneRivn ( which was then to Treacb^ new Do-
dtrine, of which they were nqt be-fore aware) and bid them itll
it to his Difciplcs ; Buj did alfo the f^ ni$yjay himfejf declare jt to
ventist Research
i8 The Oheisti a n &tf frl a^K
Two of them going to Emmm (Luk. \^ ) Trenching to there,
from Mofes and the Trophets ver. ar, 16, zn. The Doftnneof his
i9^/i Mil Refunt&m (which was to ihem a new Dnftnue,
which till then they did not tmderftand, ) or ( as the Phrafe there
is ) did Expound to them in at the Scriptures the things mctrning)
htmfelf ver. 17. which I think, was Preachity; ixi&tii&iptn'm
them th* Scriptures ( ver. 31.) concerning thole points ;'( which
was a Sahbath^aysexenrife, though perhaps tJiey did not rit firit
fo apprehend in) and did, I take it,ctlebnu<? with thfctn the Sbcnr^
meat {&ihe-Lrtd* * Supper (and perhaps *h^f^^
Inftiuttkm) %ip roach ievhul ^ti^ ta^i^ jil jtf d i)t tfcbfe ^nlsy£v?g&| *
he 'bread *and> billed it ^ and bral&japd^gm to tfom, and
(vet. i S . fie <mt $www to them by broking pf Bmd, {for thaiSa-
orameiuuftd to-he rfefigiied bf freaking of Bread. ) And if our
Author could butjftf&tffa^
0 years f rom tha Greatidn, on the Sevettitotffcft j fa wfctf lti be
a- bti icr pfloofdfir. Cfeleb^tiotn^^h^^
that time, than all |thaj he Offers at to tint ptnpofe. And the
Effsfi o\\hi^^)m:£hg'\v^ 6i\ them fo much'that ] thcir eyes "were
<>pened}wd tkhyfoat't did burn within them, while be, talked toitfc
them by iffy way, and opened to them ti» Scriptures, y tt ; j ) ; 31/^1^
they rewrnScd prefently {thd fiftne k$uf) r&Jtfufakmyto acqtmrati
the Difciples (who were there alfembled} with this'good news,
If he tell us that this Journey from yerufalefot&EtHmaus (\it~
ing about Threefcdts Furlongs 7 near Eight of our Miles} and back
aga% ins; more thah''a^^-^^%^^v I confeft it was
(unlcfs upon an urgent occafionj : if they had known it t6 be a
Sabbath-day, when they under mk thtlfotirney; but thid theft they
knew not ; nor was it therefore, on this becafion, abreaeh of th*
Saifcath ft to do, - $ htSi o'jstfa bV7 if d$tr<uk3 eTX* nf biiSk
If he fay, C6™?knew it (chough they did not) if it were now
a Sabbath. Tis true j he t^fto^irt^feS^f ^dfo#feJ k that
eltate (after Kefurrc&ion 1 ) could Ttavel without ?ain 2 and
therefore without breaking the Stbbath. Or if it were painful ;
he tells us Mat, 1 1. jy that the Triefts in4he Temple profane the
Sabbath and are blamelefs \ that is, they take as much pains oi l^
hour in killing drfcffing, smd offering the Sacrifices, as a Butcher
would do in ktfttftg and drefling his meat ; which would in the
Butcher be a culpable profanation of the Sabbath ; but is not fo
in the Priefts, becatife theirs it JReltgious Service, Nor doth this
Author thirtk that in Preaching, though it be a Labour, the
mfter doth thereby break the Sabbath. And inch was Ch rifts
ILigitizqi by the Cs
Ifte CMmh^AN Sabbath. 19
impte^m^t-hmV* And* then, whether he Preach Standing, or
Preitft Waiting, -ti^all $ne:
And if he fay farther, that, &8&tfQipk$ at Jerufalem ^not then
knowing this'} could llofrfee tiipught tWn to huve met upon, a
ft^/iWfo^t^ then meeting \v:is
Providential (as was that of 'tho TU'o other meeting Chnli; in
^tfcekjbftpney, ) yet they . might Wore they parted (as did thufe
otheru) know more of is than at their firft coming together.. And
Chnfl knew belbre what beflieuiK to do, though they did nor,
and did actfordiftgly fo orckr it by his" Providence, And though
^dlif did ' not know that it was th<snteforrf» to be kept as a Sab-
bath, yet may they weKb« fuppo fed to be employed on Religious
W^pri, upun what Tidings the /^wr* had before brought them
(of Chnlk "k'jftg Waiting for what directions they (hould
^bthr; pur^ft let us bpftflAei wfiat was further'dotie 'At thh
tti^tift^ -fW^ife'th^ft Tvv?>>\^re teWiitg ^fe m 4y$t Iftikt^
pened to t\\tiy\As they jhktJpakP^^
ih the mtdji tfH^^ fadfy Kni%^{hy jhr^
ing them hfs hands ^tdftjt, and their batidnug of him x and leeinp;
him eat ' kf&H ) W^feWfe ^rA^fhac he W$> indeed 4ijeh
ftofo tht W^, k^thafit^s 1 ^^!^ a : ^ffit \$t& ^pf)eated
to them (ver. 3 ^ }8 ? 40, 4.1^ 42 ( And did again, to them,
Treavb the fame Doftnne which he 'had helore preached to rhe
^Mbij^T^k 1 tif&V what /jf iolS WAm >yohik he ^Pyti W/JS
M>W ('ihough they dH not tindcrttand it, ) That this \fe?^iit
^af^as mhktlin tiye Lain ftf ' M(fes^a^dth'e Mphefjy'vffljik
¥j#hns comerrmjg hhii ; zri& opened thm ^na\rflmdmg that they
might unde'rjinnd the Scripftt>es \ thai fe^
it behtvedChnji to faff er tend to rife frointhe 'Dead tht Thnddityy
and that Repentance and Retfiijjijn of Sins was to bit Treat he$ht his
Nam amoft^ a$ Natkni* H^^f fh^iiwi^h be hts PFitfi'effes %
mije of finding the Holy : GhoJt 7 Tower from ov h%h
Hie 1 did moreover at the lame meeting, not only upb) bid them for
their unbelief, { M:>rk rffj 14,) but did Authorize them with a
i&zWhCmtmffttn fo/ the W&rk thei 1 wbrr>o be fenr ^jour, to
Go intQ all the Wtrld^ and Preach the Gof pel to retry Creature;
that he who believe th and is baptized foall be faxed ^ but tit ivM
lieveth not jhallbe damned, (ver. tj, id, and a Power to'' work
Miracles (ver. ii, 1 S,) In confirmation df that Dodlrme.
And to the fame ptifpofe, Xo. The fame day at Evening
C i (in
io The Christian Sa»;b>tH.
fin which he before appeared tq Mary Magdakn and thelreft)
being the Firft day of the /^rr^(the very day of his JRefijrreflion)
where the Difciples were aflembled (at a private meeting^ for, fear
of the Jews [the door being (but) Jefus came and flood in the trudft of
them 9 and gave them his Solemn Jten£&ifyQn } faying fbem y
Peace be unto you; And in Confirmation of his Rcfu rreftion,
Jhewed them his hands and his fide ; ( ver. 10.) And/tj^n a Sef.atftl
time gives them his Solemn Blefjing together with his Ordination
or Commffiqn lor Preaching the Gpfpsl, and Flawing the Chri-
ftian Church, Jefus faith to them Jgain, Peace. b$ you - >j9 4s
my Father bath fent me, evenjb fend I yg^ . And when ht had fad
this, he breathed upon them and faid.unU them, JReseive ibe Holy
Ghofl : fVhos fever Sinsyejxmi^ they are rfwiittid to tUrff^imd
who's foever Sins ye retain, they are retained, ver. a v i„ 2X )t i\ (
All which being put together, fecms to me very 4i£§
brat ion (if not the Confecratiori) of a Chriftian Sabbath^ or day
of Holy ReH and Religious Service, Tis all o|at Sabbatical
Iptirky and there is 4 jr^at ^cal <>f jf» v o ^ : uvji.'i v b
Tis not indeed exprefly foid. That he . did bid {hpip.aHwft W
meet on fuch other FirH day of the Week, (as, Kuh$r \\
prefly faid, Gen. 1. g. that God did then bid Adam said Eve to
Keep a Weekly Sabbath, or that he did bid them to <&crSacrij&$
but it is very likply Chrift might fo order it ( and more likely
than that he did not. ) For, that they did fo meet w§ ( are furc ;
*nd therefore 'tis very likely ( if not a ftrong preemption ) that
they were bid fo to (Jo. For fo we find it Job. 4$*,*$ After
Eight days (that is, as we commonly fpeak in Englifh, that
day Sennight ) his Uifciples vkre again within, and Thomas with
them ( who before wa* abfent ) the door being fhut ; then Jefus came
and flood in the midfl and [aid Teace be unto you, [as he had done
the Week before,) and fatisfied Tbomas> who before doubted. 1 .
So that we have here Two Solemn meetings of the Difciples,
Two Weeks together ( the Two firft .after his Refurre&ion ) on
the Firft day of the ff y eek ; and Chrift with them on both. (And
I am fure we have not more for the Firft Sabbath, Gen. 2. j. ) On
how many more fuch Sabbaths he fo met with them, I cannot
tell. That he oft appeared to them, ( during the Fourty days of
his abode on Earth after his Refur^ion ) we cannot doubt, aod>
its like it might be.ipn th^ft^y 5 *. ^ it
The Cavil which here he makes to thi$ place, is fo weak, that
I am forry tp feejt from one who would feem to be ferious. A*
if Eight days after, or aftcr t Eightdaj(s 7 \\xis nouhe fiime a* what
t. \ - 3
Digitized by th<
The Christian Sabbath.
we would fay a Week after or that day Sennight after ; For he
inuft needs know, that 'tis not only the Common Scripture Lan-
guage, but the general Language of Latine and Greek Wnters,to
reckon Jnclufnely; that is, to take in both the extreams ; and
fo it is even at this day (I think) in molt Languages except
EfigUlh What we call tiSemugbt, the French call huitl jours
(Eight days) and what we fay a Fortnight, is with them fytinze
mrs (Fifteen days ;) and fo in all manner of reckoning A
'fourth, a Fifth, an Eighth, a Fifteenth, .and other Intervals m
Mufick are always fo reckoned. What we call a TbMay^gue,
the Latins call a Sgartan ; and what we caRewyothe) day they
call a Tertian. So they call Secmdo Calendar (i. H&ecmdo die an.
teCalendas) what we would fay one day, (not two. days) bejote
the Calends i and they call tertio Calendas, what is with us two
I Jays (not tht ee days) before the Calends. So nudtus tertius is what
i we would fay two days ago;z^ nudtus quartus* mour Language
Three days ago ( not Four. ) SaMari 8. where Chrift (peaks
[tf himlelf, that the Son of Man Jbould be Med and after the*
days rife again, that is, on tbeThtrd day after ( incluuvely taken )
rafter the Third day is come ; whereas, according to the fcnfc
dm Author would put upon the words, it fhould rather have
keen faid after one day (tor there was but one 'day W^his
Death and Refurre&on ; ) And it is the fame in fenfe, with what
hfefays 7oh. x. 19. Vepoy this Temple, ( fpeaking ot his Body )
And tn three days 1 will raije it up, W re^Vi^. or as Mat.%6.
6L i),rvS,m\Sr, that is, the Third after (incWtvdy.) And
Mt.xn.67. they tell Ttlate, This 'Deceiver J aid, Jfter Three
days will I rife again, ^ w (meaning thereby^ foe Third
i after, mcluftoely,) and therefore they pray, that the Sepul-
Se may be madc^ure till the thirdly. Whereas, if (as our
Author would reckon upon his fingers) bv after Three days ; were
to be underftood, whence whole /^r aft^r that thou d I be
paft they need no fet their Watch before the Fomth at Fifth d*y.
Thus Chart's is faid to be Forty days after his Refurre.
8ion, (fpeaking of a Scripture Compuutlon, in Scripture Lan-
g„ ,'e, which fn our ordinary manner of Speech* but Nine and
fhn ty For Jfcenfion-Tburfday ( if Eoflcr-day ] be not reckoned
foTone ) isbut todays afier}hRct. Upon a like Account that
Em ,« the Males Belly, f>M' he fhldZs
md three nights m the heart of the Earth NotThreewM^,
Zi Three ibole nights ; but, till the Third was begun. For by
tist -Re^e ar ch
%% The Christian Sabs^tb.
Tfee CflRlSTMAfrSAjTBATH.
^ W is here uAderfiood the rvvSifae^or what! we/itowL ■» -w« 1 1 * ^ ^ ft 0 15 A 1 5
call the Artificial day, coniilfcing of 14 hours, day and night ■ and pk&re>kmgi*g iheSpiwsKthkh they hai prepared In . 28. r.
till fuch Third day (or vmSifr&f) was begun>Chriit relied in t \^mT^ ^ ^ dmtt toward the Firil
Grave ; otherwife, though he were in the Grave ( part of) Thm ^ ^ the ^ ee ^ ^^^H- if* the^U'bathwaspafi^^
days , yet but Tin* mghtoju t 1 J v^j m1yk%hf homing the Ftrft day $fthtWeek> they cam? to the 38?-
so jM? i- »i. ^^&£aW^ ;^cv r . f r f )$1 iH°fJM Sun '? K Pi^i^^M^^o^ 1
cumcijion of the Child) the} tailed his wme Jefus ; that is, mm
the Eighth day, iteltfiyeiy- reckoning the day of Birtfcfbr thc
da? if the Week, early, when it wasytpdaitkj they came
bhe^tffcfHwhr*. (Perhaps ifi .the Women did not come juft
firft, and the'day of Circumcifion for the lafl (of tbe Ei&Wtf UJ ' 1C ' 1>IU were alJ thcre ^ Siin-rifittg.) But the Body
which with Six whole days between nuke Eight WheJ-ii *^ r?] ^ beforc lhr y tan,e > as is a g re ^ b V ail f he Evangelifk. •
. here 1 obferve Firft that the Sabbarh, according to their Ac*
idnnu did not end till toward the mornitig of tht netft day. The
mdoftit Sabbath, or when the Sabbath was ^*/V\vas early in
tht mm ning, before the Sun-rifmg, While the day did begin to dawn,
it Eight whole days hid) been faltybjwft,' Chrift had been Ciit«m-
afed the Te*tb day, ) The Seafrieing the tame with tfiatcon*
coming Jthti the Baptijty* Luk: f r9 . ■ .<Wtoi%^^3to
ftfiwc- /* Circumtifi* the C6M 1 Sahere, v^/tr If Im6/ ^f/chac is
on the Eighth day, or after. the- Eighth daywarfynt.: \And this,
I think, is the contort L^n^uage of Senptureevsfry wWfe, And
hisObje&ioti needs no other, Anltter, bat, that St. |<>hn ■ did mi
And 1 cannot but think (however he pleafe thus tcrOMedH ih
himfelf doth belie vet his, after Etght days, to be here meant
the Firft day of the next Week, (and he fitould have been fo
3 it
let while it was yet darJ^ Very early indeed in difc-nionnng,
IdM-Jct not till motning, (hot in [ $b £i^ninfi f bv^WiJIW
fiitrefore ( without diiputing how the day waS reputed to begin
in the rime of dMofts) tis manifefl that> at this titnfc, a*tell : tl1e
"abbath as other days was by them reckoned not -'f rota f t h e be-
Jnning of) the Evfctfinjjto (the beginning of ) th£ EVWfcig; tnt
lfther(accordingto the Rom. acconmjftom Midnight to Midnight.
We ihould not, in a ferious Enquiry^ prefc \vhufoJfib/y might
be, M what we truly think tfjitW*wneaniag., ; A iLwyerat the
Barmay f&rly propofe Fcr his Cliertt, what poffibiy may fctfo
lenieot fuchor fugh a Claufe. 'But- a Judge on the Bench (and a
GoiinfeUor,/^ his Client,) is to confider what really Is the feftfe
of Words in queition. I dare appeal to himfelf, whetherfm^hfe
own thoughts ) he do not think after Eight days, here to figfrift?
the fame, as after Eight days wete accomplijh^d, Luk. t. 2 [ : And,
if fo, then this U rather /a Wrangle, than ft ^i^i
Before! difmift this place, it is not amifs to take more par-
ticular notice about what time it was that Mary Magdalen ^ and
the other Women came to the Sepulchre on the^day of Chrifb
Reiurreaion, 'tis iiid Luke 13. f y. j S. ^7^/ //;^ beheld tht
Sctwlchreandlnw the body was laid, fon the fixth day at night
whereon he was Crncihed) they returned and prepared Spices and
Oynttnents, and rejled the Sabbath day according to the Command-
™ nt And m the next words Luk, if- i- Now upon the Firil
day o/ the wy early m the morning, tiny came to the Se~
fukkre
4 loud ipfce and gave up the Ghcji, Mark -i y. 34, \% Arid it was
: fti later, when they brake the Legs of the twt Thieves, (that they
toig^it not remain on the Crofs upon the Sabbath) but only
i pierced his fide, becanfe lie was already dead y Joh. 19 . % t, 31, 3},
94. And later yet when Jojefh of Atmtathe* begged his Body and
bnried it. FOr 'tis aiptefly laid, tPhtn Even was come there came
hrkh man of Arimathea, named Jbfeph, and begged the body of Je-
jfkr ; and when he had ta{efr* the "Body, he wrapped it in a clean
Bnnen Cloth and buried it in bis &m new Tomb, Mat 27. 5:7, $%
fP, 60. Mark i 5< 41, 43,44,-**; 4<J.; Luk. tj; ^f, 5\5|-
- But, though -jsere chme before tms time, Jet the babbath
was not begun^or io it followeth, Z^f 23- «*j rAf
Preparation and -the Sabbath drvzb criW H)Y : <
And after this, ver ^ 56. the IVomen who beheld the Sepul
cbre, and tow the Body was laid, returned and prepared Spices
*Hd Ointments Hhefaitie »Jglit') fciit re<^ day ac-
tording to the Corhntandmenu And by this time it mult needs be
preitty late at night ; while yet the Sahbath vas not begun. That
u, I fuppofe not till Mjdnight of the Sirth day. ^
The Christian Sabbath.
Nor was the Sabbath ended when Evening began on the Sc- I
venth day. For tf To, the Women might that flight have brought I
&id applied their Spices and Ointments which; they had prepared >
the night before. For they had as much timeib to do, after the I
Evening was begun that night (if the Sabbath were now ended) |
as they had, to do what was done the night before^; after tttttfl
Evening was then begun. Nothing hindered them btit hecstufe the |
Sabbath was not yet done, and they were to reft the Sakbatb day
according to the Commandment. But, fo fppn as well thsy could,
when the Sabbath was ended, they came early t the next wrnbig Jf
while it was yet dark. And might as well have come the night I
before, if the Sabbath had ended when the evening began; Vul
I add fartllpr^at t^e Sabbath had ended at the evening of the
Seventh <Uy> and the Firft day of the W^ek had then begun { as
this authof iVOVW-have it,.) Chrift might have rifen that night
(Tor.it would then have been the Third day y ) and, not have ftay'd
in r the#RYe (for the third day) till the next morning, which yet
we knoy bfitdicL K | > r \ v . v.Jjn rf? ;dc*2
■ Tis n??aifeft therefore that the Firft day of the Week did I
begin from the qiddle of the night, not from the Firft Evening
of the Seventh day. And that Chnii was rifen wry early in the
f&orniffg pt that Ftrd day while it was yet dark.
We are next to Confider how long that Firft day lafted. After I
Chrift was. rifen early in the morning while it was yet dar{ }
( how early that was, we cannot tell, but it was in the Mornings
not over night ; ) he appeared firft to tffiary Magdalen, and the
Women who went to the Sepulchre ■ they, as they were direfled
carried news of it to the Difciples ; and wuhpn they were going,
(Mat. aS. ii. ) the Watch came into the City and {hewed to the
Htgb Priejis the things which were done; who calling a Comcel,
gave the Stuldters Mmy U fay, His "JJjjnpies came and Jiole him
away while they were ajleep ; undertaking to fecure them in cafe
thcGoyemour fhould come to hear it.
Upon this- ue w<s being brought by; the Women to the Difciples,
Two of them a from the reft, \went to the Sepulchre to enquire
into the bufinefs ; and brought an account ol it to the reft, who
were Aftonifhedat it.-
. And all this happened before the Two Difciples began their
Journey to Emmaps ; t for they difcourfed of it by the way, and
told it to Jefus wh^feiljpto their Company, Luk. 14. ip,io, n,
ii,2j, 14. Now thgu Joyrney from Jerusalem to Emmaus, was
About Three/core Furlongs, ver. 1 3, which our Author rightly com-
putes
Digitized .by the
The Christian Sabbath,
putes to be about Seven miles and an half, of our miles ; which
they Travelled cn foot, for 'tis faid they walked, (Mark 16.12.) and
Jefus in their company, Preaching to them (out oi -JMtfes and
the Prophets) the Do&rine of Chrift s Death and RefurreJJ >n.
When they came near to Emmaus it was towards Evening, and
the day far fpent 7 (Luk. 24. 19.) they did there abide for iorae
time, and Jefus with, them, continuing to Preach on the fame
Subjeift, and was at length Known to them by breaking of Bread,
VM^o-^. After which they returned to Jcrufaltm and told
thefe things to the 2)ijciples then gathered together, ver. 33. By
which time (having now walked another Seven miles and an half)
fkve may. reasonably fuppofeit to be pretty late at night \ For,when
they firft approached, to Emmaus it was then fo late, as that it
was not thought convenient ( unlefs upon fome fuch great occa-
fion) to Travel further, ver. 28.
Yet, after they were come back to Jerufalem, Chrift then ap-
peared himfelf to the Difciples, bkjftng them, reproaching their
unbelief confirming their Faith, giving them InslruBions, and
Coinmiffton for Preaching the Gofpel, and Planting the Chnjtiau
Churcp. . And it was yet but the fame day at Evening, being the
Firftiay of the Week, (Joh, 20. 19.) on which he role : but, now
late at night, when the doors were put; that is, { if I miftake not )
fo late as that it was time to (hut up doors as men ufe to do 10*
wards bed-time. Not as if Chrift came-in through the Key-hole
{ any more than did the Two Difciples that came from Emmaus )
or did Penetrate the doors, (as thePapiib would have us think in
favour of their Tranfubfiantiatton ; J For they were not fo flint
but that they could be opened again ( upon occafion ) to let him
in (as they had been to let-in thofe Two that came from Em-
maus) as well ai to let-in Peter ( late at night ) jiff. 1 1. 16-
So that frojn very early in the Morning while it was dark, till
xzrylate night and about Md~night r \xi& the fame day, the firft
day ' of \,th uffeek, 'Tis maftifeff "therefore that about our Sa-
viours time,according to the Computation of the New-Teftament,
both the Jews and' the Four Evangelifts did reckon their days,
from mid-night to mid-night. And if they did not fo reckon,
Chaft couldnot. be faid ( Mat. iz. 40. ) to be three days and three
night* in the heart of the earth. For it was fiventng, when >-
feph begged the Bod J of Jefus, and later vet before he had buryed
it, and yet this muft be reckoned part of the.Sixth day, elle he had
not been three days in the Grave, or heart of the earth.
And I think they were fo reckoned in the times pf the Old Te-
i6 The Christian Sabbath.
flamcnt alfo. Which though it be not fo much to the pttfeht pur-
pofe, yet (if you will pardon this digreflion) I will tell yoii why I
thinkfo. It is I know an Opinion taken up by fome (and I find it is
grown pretty current even amongft Learned men) that tie JettS
in the time of the Old Teflaraent did reckon their days from l Even-
ing to Evening(whether they mean fromSun-fet to Sak-fet,or f rotn
Six a Clock to Six a Clock, I cannot tell, nor perhabs are they afl
agreed as to that point. ) But I take it to be a miltakc ; which
being at firft taken up without fufficierft ground, hath fince pafled
(without further examination) From hand to hand. : SBj/A
We find Exod. ia. 6. the Pafs-over was to be killed in the
Firft month, on the Fourteenth dm in the Evening; which I
think is agreed by all to be thfe Evening at the end of the Four-
teenth day, (not that at the eridpf the Thirtefentfy) for the next
morning was the Fifteenth day; which Evening therefore be-
longed to the Fourteenth day., V^? 31 ^
But it h noted in the Margin of our Bibles, that it is, in tht
Hebrew, between the two Evenings. ' You 1 ask perhaps, w^at art
thofc two Evenings : Vk tell you what I think they iu?.
The word you know, is taken rn a double fenfe. Some-
times for (what we call) the Natural (hy (as it is contradiftin-
giiiftied to night ) from Sun-rifmg to Snh-fettitog: fometimes fbt
^ ( what we call ) the Artificial ^Vj (or rwj^s^ ) fo as to take in
b nh day and night. Our Saviour tells us there are Trtehe honfs
in the day ; meaning the Natural day. But in the Artifipal^
(of winch we arc now fpeaking) there be Ftor and Twtntjr
hours. Some pleafe to call that the Natural dav, which I call
the Artificial ( for afl do not ufe thew6rtk iti the fame fenfe^)
But that matters not, fo long as we underftand one another.
Now by the word Evening is underftood the end of the dkf.
Which, as to the Natural day. is at Sun-fet; but as to the Arti-
ficial day, it is (I think) ztAf id-nigh t. : And confequeritly, be-
en the two Evenings j is as much as to fay, after San-Jet, and
before Mtd-vight. And this is what, in our Language, w,e com-
monly caH the E vening, which is in the Hebrew between Iht tveo
Evening ( that is, krfcecri the end of die Natural day, and the
end oi the Artificial day:) and'within this time was the Pafs-
ovcr to be Killed, Hefted and Eaten) Nothing of it vfas to feiniin
tilt the Morning ; that is, not after Mid-night ; forasfoonas
Midnight is full Morning begins. And within this time *H
Lcayrn was to be put away ; that is, before the Mid-ni^ht of the
Fourteenth day. Which is fo fair an account of it, as that we
The Christian Sabbath. 17
need not fcruple to embrace it. And it was the Fifteenth day,
that was the///? day of the Feaft of Unlevenedh eaJ; ( all Leven
being put away before Mid-night,) and this Fifteenth day was
to be kept as a Sabbath, and a Holy Feaft to the Lord, ver. 14.
( on what ever day of the Week it chanced to fall. ) And fo was
the One and Twentieth day, which was the Ml of thofe Seven
days : Seven days Jhall ye eat Unleavened-bread; even the firft day
yejballput away ( or fhall have put away) leaven outof your bouje.
And in the Firfi day there fhall be an Holy Convocation, and in the
Seventfcday there ftall be an Holy Convocation ; no wanner of lVoi\
Jhall bi dbne in them, favi that which every man fijaU eat ; ( that is
they are to be kept as a Sabbath or day of Holy reft ; ) ver. \ y, 16.
•From the Fourteenth day at Evening till the One and Twentieth
day at Evening, ver. 1 S. that is,from the Fourteenth day at Mid-
night, till the One and J Twentieth at Mid-night. And in like , ^
manner, Lev. xj, jl* from Eve* to Even, or Night to Night, '
that is, Irom-Mid-rtieht to Midnight; or from the wdtf ot* ^
Evening \o the end of the next Evening. SomLevit aj.j. aftcf^^
Numb. 18. 16, 17. In the Fourteenth day of the tirft month 1$ *
the Vafs over of the Lord\ and in the fifteenth day of this month is v /
the feaft ; Sevtodays fhall unleavened bread be eaten, &c. Wh^rc / <
it is manifefl that the fourteenth day which is the Lords Taft^gr
is another da v from the fifteenth which is the firft day of the Feaft. vfJKSjS. ' 1
For I uiff pafs through the land of Egypt faith God ) this night,
(that is the night of the Fourteenth day) and will finite all th^
firft born in the land of Egypt, E* . 1 1. ii. And what time of thef
night it was, we arc told ver. 18. And it came to fafs at Mid.
night the Lord fmote all thefirft-born of tht land of Egypt. An4
to the fame purpofe Mofes tells f /WW,xhap. 1 f. 4, y, 6, 7, Yhu s
faith the Lord, About Mid night will I go out into the midft of
Egypt, And the firft ^n of the land of Egypt ftialldy, from the
firft born of Pha raolv, &c. that ye may know that the Lord hath put
a difference between the Egyptians and Ifracl. So that the toir-
teenth day, which was the Lords Tafs-over continued till the
Midnight of that day ; and thtn began the fifteenth day which
was the firfi day of tl)e Feaft. Than which I think nothing can be
more clear. And Num. 3 3 . 7 he fifteenth day of the firft month
is the morrow after the Pafs-over. - In like maimer, 2)eut. 16. 6.
Thou (halt Sacrifice the Pafs-over at even , at the going down of the
Sun y (that is, after the goitigdoWA of the Sun, or when the Sun
is gone down) at the feafon that thou camefi fifth out of Egypt,
which was about Midnight, Ex. U. Ex. 1 1. 4.
D 2 What
istJResearc
18 The Christian Sabbath.
What he offers from Gen. t . y. is eafily anfwered. The evening
and the mormng were the jirjl day 7 (and fo of the other days ;)
Whence he would have it thought, that the day is to begin at
the beginning of the Evening, Or (as the Margin tells it is in
the Hebrew) the evening *was } and the morning was^ the jirjl day.
Or, there was evenings and tkere i <was morning, day one y (for in
fuch ocder the words ftand in the Hebrew.) Or, and was evenings
and was morning, day me. That is, there was in the firflday,
(and fo in the reft) evening and morning; or darknefs and light ;
And the Dark is put firft, becaufe (beginning the day frqrftvMid-
mght ) the dark is before the Light. And by day one y fc fltfaut
the jirjl day* . f 0 L *b j > bxJA^Zr, il j yi . c-1
And it was moreover very agreable fo to reckon- For, fuppofing
Paradife the principal feat of A£tion ; the Sun may reafonably be
fuppofed to be Crtatcd ( in the middle of the Fourth day, Gtn,g>
16.) in the Meridian of that place> (as in its greeted Splendor )
or, if not in the Meridian of that place, it mufl needs be in the
Meridian of fome place : and wherever that be, the day , (of
24 hours) being there half paft, it muft have begun at Mid-night
foregoing. And I doubt not but a Child born on Saturday night
at Ten a Clocks was to be Circumcifed the next Saturday (as being
the Eighth day y ) not on the Sunday after,
I have infilled the longeron this, becaufe I find him afterward
moving another queftion about what {jraeahe Sabbath iv.to begin
md end, and lays great ftrefs upon it, as we lhalUee anon*
Of which I think we need not be further folicitous than to be-
*ia*nd end this day, apcojding as other days are accounted to
legin and end in the plates where we live. T do not think the
Fourth Commandment to defcend to thefe Tmtiilios.
/But, if he think it neceflary to be more curious in it; I take
it to be very plain from Tvhat I have faid, that at the time of
Chrifts Death and RefurredUon, it was accounted to begin very
early in the morning, while it was dark, and continue till very
kte at night, according as we now account our days, from Mid-
night to Mid-night. But I go on. \ ; ; 1 rh 1 Ai j
We have now found our Saviours Example, as to the two Firft
Sundays from his Refurreilion \ if at kaft theii jirjl day rf the
Week be our Sunday) imploring the day in Religious Exercifes
and Sabbatical Affairs with his Difciples. How many more Sim-
day? he fo fperu with them we cannot tell Which Examples, of
his. Twofi rft, with their Imitation of him in others after, (of
which we are to fpeak by and by,) and the Chuxches pra&ife ever
digitized bv the Ca
The Christian Sabbath. 29
fince, looks fo like the Celebration and Inftitution of a Chriftian
Sabbath, or day of Holy Reft and Religious Exercife, as that we
pay warrantably do the like. I am fure it is more than he can
Hhew for the Saturday Sabbath in Gen. Save that men are apt
to think a fmall thing an Inftitution and Jus "Div'mum for what
they fanfy ; but, as to what they do not, nothing will ferve but
Full Exprefs Words.
We have next clear Evidence, of a like TraSife (confonant
to this Example) in JS. ao. 7. On the firft day of the Week,
when the 2)i(ciples came together to bteakbread, Tout Preached un-
to theta, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his Speech
until Mid-night, Which is fo plain that he is ranch put to his
fllifts to avoid it. That there ii a Religious jlfjembly of the Difci-
ples, he doth not deny \ Tad was Preaching very late, even till
Mid-night, and they met to break head, whkh I think is gene-
rally agreed by Interpreters, to fig nify the Celebration ot the
Lords Supper ; and 1 know not well what clearer Charafler we
need demand of a Religious meeting for Worjhip, futable to the
Work of a Sabbath or Holy Reft. And it was i» if m *ctf r«r,
which I think he will not deny, (though he fcem to cavil at it)
to (ignify, on the firft day of the Week. But he excepts, that the
word MtAyin here tranflated Preached, is elfewhere render'd Rea-
fonedox. Difcourfed. Be it fo, and il that word will pleafe hirn
better, let it be to here ; he reafoned, difcourfed, treated, or did
hold forth ; that I think will not alter the cafe ; and he continued,
or held on ( W f* T «») this Wcomfe, this Speech, tins Satnon,
f# aS„v Sermonem) till Mid-night ; { he held on this holding forth
till Mid-night ) which I take to be the fame with what we now
call Preaching, ( or very like it- ) 'twas a long continued difcourle
to a Congregation met together on a Religious account for the
Service of God. But let it be called { if he pleafe ) a Religious.
Difcourfe of the Holy Apofllexo* Congregation of Chtifttans met
together for fuch a purpofe.
He would then have it thought a favour or condercention to
admit this breaking of breads be meant of the Lords Supper ; and
not barely a Common eating. But fince he doth not deny iyve will
accept the favour and take it fo to be ; minfoi*** * f"^ 1 *' T ** ***"
«, £ n . t The Difciples being congregated or affembled to break Bread
Tis ■WfWi.w, The Z>ifcip!es; (not v^fomeoi them:} and
they were (perhaps not every one but the generality ot them, as
at other meetings) nm^w congregated or affembled; and it kerns
to be a good full Congiegation, by Eutychus's being mounted to tnt
Kentist Researc
go The Christian Sabbath.
third loft (whatever he meant by that third loft, though but the
third fcaffold,) fo high that by a fall from thence he was in great
danger of being hilled. Now it is not likely that fuch a Congre*
gation of Chrifhans were thus affembkd for common eating h
He hys fPaul was to go away on the Myrow. True; But it is not
faid they came together to fate leave of Paul; but, came together
to Break Bread. Tauh going away on the Morrow, might be the
reafon ( arid I believe was ) why they continued there Jo long :
but the End foi which they came together, was to Break Bread:
and the occajionof their fo coining, becaufe it was the firjl day
of the fVeei: On which, itJhouId.feein, they were wont ib to do
tor that end. And if he candidjy confider it, jnethk&s it Ihottld
ftem fo to him. Tapl came to thm at Troas in Jive days, where bt
abode [even days : And on the firjl day of the Week, main the Wfcu
pies came together to break Bread, Taulpt cached to them. Doth
not the fair profpeel of the place import tlujgimtrch, that they
were then met to break Bread, as being the firftday of the -week f
What other occafion was there ot mentioning what day of the
Week it was? It had been otherwifc ^iairer transition to have
£iid 1 He (laid there Seven dap, and on the Seventh day, (or the
lajl ofthofe Seven) the 'Difciplcs catne together to take have of *<aul
and Sup with him overnight, who was to depart on the morrow.
Now if it had been faid an the Seventh day (though meaning but
thelaftof thofi Seven) it would no doubt have been urged as
a great argument ot Taul s keeping a Seventh ^/Sabbath, and the
Dtfapleswith himy not as zje-wt/h but as iChriflian AiTembiy;
for breaking of bread (which was a ChrifttaH not a Jemfli Service-)
For then, breaking ofbreda\ would certainly have* been the Lords
Supper : ( But becaulc it was on the firjl day of the l¥$eh) it muffc
now be but common eating, to take leave of <Paul, and to Sup with
hm ; as ( he tells ns/>, y -7. ) Friends commonly do ( when a x3ti-
nijier or any other fpecial Acquaintance intends to take a Journey in
the morning ) to (up with him over night. But if he thinks this to
be all which is there meant by the Difcipfes coming together on
the firjl day of the fTeek to Break Bread; he nwft excuie me if I
cannot be oi his Opinion. Amfia *l - v : : jor.
But becaufe he is content to admit ( upon fome terms ) their
meeting might Bfc upon a Religious account, for the Lords Supper
(as no doubt it was) I (hall prefs him no further therein: but
accept of his condelcenfion.
When he tells us, that *U is Greek for one, and therefore
fi^ «4Mr« may as well be rendred One day of the fftw{ 9 as the
Firjl
The Chjus^ian Sabbath. 31
firjl day of the Wet$j Sorely lie is not in earneft. Such trifling
doth more hurt than help his cauie* No doubt, but, when ever
|they met, it was one day of the Week, we need not be told it;
fcor need the word Week be added, he might as well ha yjt faid
one day ; nor need he have faid ib much. Bur this Author canno*
ffiink (not doth he) that pi* cv.£&irM doth any where lignify other
than thejfty? day of the Week. In the whole ffcory oi Chriffcs
RefurreiHon, and what followed on that day in all, the Four
1 Evangelifts, we have no other word for it hut pa a mCCdr*?, nor
lave we any other word for it { that I know of } there or' iany
where elie. I do not know that it is any w&erfctalkd ^Jtk ntf*
£*W ( Save that what is called ^^Mr^Maf^iS^ is^di^
•fc^iT^ v . f>. ^which doth explain the other aifp;) Siich flufting
*fcyth not ibok well.: 1 ■ ' U yi ojl o J i btttnft I) i «rj h« ft
fr-Tis fomewhat like the Story of a man who bought a Horfe ' for
yfhe pounds to be paid the next day. And accordingly on the next
fthty he ii-tit Fm%mds if Candies. Perhaps (in the Bargain) it was
faid ex pre fly i in words at length) Five'Pounds of Lawful Monev
'kf England. But, by common intendment, it mtril be fo under! tood.
( And an honejl EngtijkyWfc upon a Tryal, would io Find it.)
[ The Latin word "Pridit, is a Dinvative (or Compound rather)
I from pr<t, prior ; and Poffridie from poji, pofttrior ; and accor-
fctrtjly (in Latin) pridie Calendamm y and poiiridie Caiendarum
ifoufl fignify a day before, and a day after the Calends, But can a-
rty man think it is meant bf any day ? No,butthe next d&y before,
and the next day after.
* So if we fay, Chrift was Crucified one day before the Sabbath,
and Rofe again one day after the Sabbath. This one day is the next
day. And (o any man who hath not a mind to Cavil, will under-
ftand it. Audio one day after the Sabbath, muft
.needs be tmderftood df the fcXtJa? after the Sabbath: Nor is it
ttver wCd in any other fefffe. If it were to be underftood of any
indefinitely, itfhouldbc & fome day after the Sabbath, not/*/*
tor day after, bns yw^
But the mofepieafant fttf^f alJ^ k r when he v^ould have us
think that this Evening (which is called :1k firft day of the
WbekJ was the Evemg after the Seventh day, th: .it is Saturday
"night; and the next morning ( when ?W was to go away ) was
Sunday morning ( and he to mwNhat Sondat ;) And that the
Evcnifg of Saturday was the beginning of Sunday, nnd was there-
fere called the Firjl day of the }V&k, c BeCUufc it is laid Gen. r.
tie Evenm ami tlx >JMcming mu tfc firjl day, { and io of the reft J
Jlnd
gi The Christian Sabbath.
and therefore the evening was the beginning of every day. $tt
what thift a man will make, rather than quit an Opinion he
hath once taken up.
We are taught that on /fc Fourteenth day oftbefijt month at
even the Pafs-over was to be killed. Doth he think that this |
Fourteenth day at even was the end oj the Thirteenth dayjht Four-
teenth day then beginning ! I think every body elfe takes it to be
the evening at the end of the Fourteenth day, and the Fifteenth
day (on the morrow ) was the firft: day of the Feaft of Unleaven-
ed Bread. For though it were the fourteenth day at evening, yet
it was t\\z fourteenth day, not.thc fifteenth.. t u >,.■/•..!
And 54. the evening after our Saviours Crucifixion, I
<>n the fixth day, when it was late at night (as was {hewed before
and muft be, according to the ftory of what had been done before
that time) was yet but the Reparation, not the Sabbath, the St.
venth day being not yet begun. For fo we have it, it was the pre.
paration, and the Sabbath drew on. And the Women were then
preparing their Spices and Qyntmeuts, yet rejied the Sabbath day
according to the Commandment > So that the Sabbath day was not yet
begun. Nor was it ended when the evening ol the next day began,
but on the morning of the day following, as was {hewed above.
And (as we {hewed at large before) the foB day of the Week
( on which Chrift rofe ) began very early in the morning while it
<was dark, and continued (the fame day) till very late at night.
And this is the conftant Language of the New Teftament every
where.
So that when the Congregation of Chriftians, Acts io. 7. did 0%
the firft day of the tf^aUemble to breaKBread, and Paul Preached
to them, continuing their Sermon till Mid-night 5 this muft needs
•be on what we call Sunday ; and the morning following was Man-
day morning ; not Sunday morning as this Author would have it.
Tis manif eft therefore, that there was a Religious Aficmbly, ol
the Chriftian Congregation at T >oas,on the Firft day of the Week,
for celebration of the Lords Supper, and Preaching; and Paul
with them. Which I take to be the celebration ol a Chnltian
Sabbfcihuo ihi. '[j t>.i!j.o*i tfai'rfvr) grimy 3 eittr.jcdj Md. ?1
However, this (he fays) is hut One In/lance. True, this is
but one. ( But we have heard of more before, and.lhall hear ol
more by and by.) But nis one is more than he can fbew for more
than Two Tboufand Five Hundred tears (from God's refting on
the Seventh day Gen. a. 3. till after Ifrael was come out oi Egypt
Ex. jtf. during which time he would haveus think the Seventh-
L " All
The Christian Sabbath. 33
day Sabbath was conftantly obferved. And if he could fliew any
one fuch inftance ( of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, or others,) where
fuch a Religious Afjembly, for the Woifhip of God, was held on
the feventb day in courje from the Creation; he would think his
int well proved, though no more were (aid of it than is of this.
Whereas now as to the time from thence to the Floud, he
rings no other proof, but that Abel, and Enoch, and Noah were
ood men ( as no doubt they were ) and therefore it is to be pre-
Burned th&kept a Sabbath ; and that upon the feventb day. Which
is to beg the queftion, not to Prove it.
From thence till Ifraels going into Egypt, all that he brings to
prove this matter of fa# is but that of 6V*v i 3.6. where ( fpeak-
ing of Aram and Lot y with the multitude of their Cartel ) it is
laid, the land was not able to bear them that they might Dwell to-
gether; for their fubftance was treat Jo that they could not Dwell
together ; and there was aflrife between the Herd-men of Abrams
[Cattle, and the Herd-mw of Lots Cottle, &c. Thev could not
YDwll together, that is ( faith he ) they could not Reft together ;
I that is, they could not keep a Sabbath together; therefore (he
concludes ) they did ufe to keep ijabbatb; and that Sabbath was
the feventh day in courfe from the Creation. And is not this a
igoodly proof? Ifhouldthmk (if he would put a ftrnfi on
I the word Reft ) it fhould rather i»gnify, : they could not Uya&uu
\etly together -.without their berdmenj fUattfUingikout their
» Paffure ; for fo it lollows in the next words, there wdsaftrrfe be-
tween their bads-men.
From thence ullafter their coming out of Egypt, he brings no
other proof but that of Ex. ?. + , j. Where, when Mopes and
, Aaron had been prefling Pharaoh to let f/raelgo three days Journey
into the Wildernefs, to keep a Feaft and Sacrifice to the Lord their
God; Tharaoh replies, Wherefore do ye Let (or hinder) the
Teople from their Work ' you make them Reft from their burdens, or
you take thei^efffrom their Hfork ; that inlays he,nw make them
keep a Sabbath. For the Word or Verb there Trauilated you make
them Reft is, (he tells us) a derivative from another Verb
which fignifies to Refi, from which Verb the word Sabbath is
alfo derived: They did therefore Reft ( fai& he) that is keep
a Sabbath, and that Sabbath was every Week, and it was 011 the fe-
ventb dav in courfe from the Creation.
It Alas! how little do either or both of thefe places prove, of
b vrhat he would have to be granted him thence ! He tells us fome*
times there were other Sabbaths, befides chat of the feventb day;
I am fure ihere were other Reftings. E If
54- The Christian Sabbath.
If" x&kfes and Aaron had defired Pharaoh to excufe them from
their Work one day in jeven, that on fuch day they might fervc
the Lord their God ; it would have looked like an Argument.
But when it is, to go three days into the IVildernefs to keep a Feajl
to the Lord; what is this to a Weekly Sabbath f
This Seventh day-fabbath, fo runs in the mind of this Author
that if any where he can Jay hold of the word Rejl } it muft
prefently prove a Seventh-day -fabbath, Eife who would have
thought, that becaufe Jbram and Lot could not dwell quietly
together ; therefore they muft needs keep a Sabbath, and that
upon the /event h day, and in courfe from the Creation ? And the
like of the Ifraelites in Egypt, becaufe tjMofes and Aaron are faid
to hinder them from their Work \ Therefore they did confiantly
keep a weekly Sabbath, and that upon the f event h day, in courfe
from the Creation,
He might have to better purpofe, alledg'd "Pharaoh's /even fat
kine and jeven lean ones, and the /even full ears of Corn, and jeven
empty ; for here we have the number jeven fignalized ; only
thele were Seven Tears, not Seven Days ; and the like of Nebu-
chadnezzar* being Jeven years turned out to the Beajlsof the fieU,
Dan. 4, if, %i 7 3 3. Or that of the Clean Beafts and Fowls com-
ing into the Ark by j "evens , Gen* 7. i, 3.
But, what is more to his purpofe (ana which he fhould not have
milled) is that of Gen. 7. 4, and Gen. 8. 10, 12. where we have
the interval of /even days particularly mentioned 5 For yet J even
days, and I will caufe it to ram upon the Earthy &c. ( Chap. 7. 4. )
where God gives to Noah juit a fVeeks warning of the time when
the Floud Ihould begin, during which interval (if thofe days
were Sabbath days) he might remove himfelf and what was ne-
ceffary into the Ark before the next Sabbath. And, toward the
end ot" the Floud, Noah fends out the Dove, Chap. 8.8. Aihd he
Haidfeven days , and again fent forth the Dwe, ,ver. 10. And he
Jtaidyet other feven days, and fent forth the Dovl , $cc. ver. it.
Where we have the Dove fent out three times, juft at Jeven days
diftance. And how do we know but that thefe three days were
three Sabbath days ? Which though it be not a concluGvt Argu-
ment, is better than any that he brings. For here we have three
Intervals o( /even days, in thefe two Chapters.
But if a Weekly Sabbath were then kept, 'tis very ftrange
that we Ihould have no intimation of any fuch thing in the books
of Mofts ( before Ijraeh coming out of Egypt. ) And much more,
that there is nothing of it in the Book of job. And, that none
of
Digitized by the Ce
The Christian Sabbath. 3?
of his friends (amongft the many charges they bring againft him)
fliould never objeft his Neglefi of the Sabbath, or want of due ob-
fervance thereof Which being fo plaufible an objeftion, it
feems more likely, that a Sabbath was not then wont to be obfer-
ved : for which he hath fo very little to fhew. And by what
we have J*b 1.4. It fhould feem thatjWs Seven Sons kept Feajl-
mg (each in his own day ) for Seven days together ; without any
mention of a Sabbath intervening. Nor was it a Relmous Feafl,hxit
a P caft of mirth and jollity, fuch as made^ fufpicious leaft they
might Jin and curfe God in their hearts^, j. And therefore he offer d
propitiatory Sacrifices for them continually, or (as the Margin
tells us it is in the Hebrew) all the days, that is every of thefe
Seven days.
As little a matter will ferve his turn to prove (p. 43. ) that
Chnfts Afcenfton was, and his coming to Judgment is to be, on a
Saturday, or Seventh-day*Sahbath t Becaufe it is laid A8s 1. i%.
that Mount Olivet (whence he attended) is, from Jerufalem, a
Sabbaih-days Journey.
But he tells us that by no mount that he can tnaki, can he
a M n t/je Afcenfton on the Firjt dayjfto more can I.) But what then?
Well ! But why upon a Saturday rather than a Sunday ? Becaufe
he obferves, that after Chnfts Afcenfton from Mount Olivet, it is
faid, Then they returned to Jerufalem from Mount Olivet, which is
from Jernjalem a Sabbath-days Journey. Well! what of this?
He cannot fee why it was exprefly faid, that it was but a Sabbath-
days Journey from Jerufalem, but becaufe it was the Sabbath-day.
Perhaps I may (hew him another reafon as likely as it. If
the word then do not there fignify the fame day (but only at
large, after his Afcenfton) this is nothing to the purpofe. But
admitting that by then be meant the fame day; the connexion runs
* fairly thus, After his Afcenfton they returned from thence to Je-
rufalem the fame day, for it was fi^tfi ) but a little way of about
a Sabbath-days Journey. Which, I think, is a fair account of the
place ; Efpeciaily fince we know other wife, that it was not upon
a Sabbath day.
Again, if this (of a Sabbath days Journey) fhould intimate, it
was on a Sabbath day ; why on a Seventh day, rather than a Firft
day ? and why upon no account upon the Firjlt For, if the Fiflt
day were then a Sabbath ( as we think it was ) that of not tra-
veling mere than a Sabbath-days Journey, would as well refpeft a
FirfiJays Sabbath, as a* Seventh days Sabbath. So that he is not
at all advanced hereby to his Seventh day Sabbath ; The fame
E 2 Account
, Adventist Resear
%6 The Christian Sabbath,
Account (as he fpeaks) will fervc as well for the one as for the
other. But, indeed, lor neither. ' v
But how doth this concern his Coming to Judgment f Yes, Be-
caufe it is there faid {ver. 1 1.) He fhall come in like manner (or
-mt ) as ye have feen him go into Heaven. And (becaufe this Author
tanfies ) he did Afcend on a Sabbath day, therefore (he fanfies
alfo) he (hall on a Sabbath day come again. I fee a freak Argu-
ment \ with zfirong Fanfy will go fan
But to prove his Afcenfion to be on the Sabbath (befides this ;
of a Sabbath-days Journey) he adds further, That Chrift and his
Difcipks were then Ajjembkd and that Chrift 'Preached. Well !
And why may ^e not as well conclude that the day of bis Re~
furre&ion was alfo a Sabbath t For Chrift and his 'Dtfciples were
then Aj/embled } {Ri{i at Emmauspnd then at Jerufalcm } ) and Chriji
did then alfo (at both places) Preach to them, and the fubftance
of his Preaching was much the fame, (as will appear by com-
paring Luk. 14- with A3s 1.) and did then alfo Celebrate the
Lords Supper. And eight days after^ Chrift was again Affembled
with the :&lfcipks y and Preached to them$ on the lame day of the
Week* If Chriits Prefence and Preaching will prove the Afcenfion
day to be a Sabbath, why fhould it not as well prove the Refurre-
ff ion day to be a Sabbath ? the onely difference is/That (he thinks)
ferves his turn, But this makes againft him.
And why fhould it not alfo be thought a Sabbath,^? j zo. for
Paul and the Difciples were then Ajfembled ; and they we re aflem-
bled to breaks Bread ; and 'Paul there Preached to them. And all
thefe AflTemblies were on the firfi day of the fFeei And they
feem to me a much ftronger proof of the Firfi day (^the day of his
Refurreftion) being a Sabbath, than that the Afcenjion day was fa
And the Preaching which our Author here mentions as on the
day of Afcenfio% leenis to me rather to have been on that of the
Refmrefifion. For St. Luke in the beginning of this Chapter of
'Afts 1, feems to give a jhort repetition of what himfelf had de-
livered more at large Luk* 14. And gives an account not only of
what happened 0tf the day of Afcenfion, (though he clofewith it}
but of what happened during the forty days from his Refurreftion
to that time. And this Preachings I take to be tfiat mentioned
Luke 24. on the day of his Refurreftion.
But (after all) this is but a Whimfey, (what he tells us of
Chnfts Afcenfionon a Seventh day-Sabbath.) For 'tis very plain
that his Afcenfion was neither on a feventhdiy^ Dor on a ftrft y
but on % fifth day of the Week. For tis plainly faid, Aftfh 1 - J-
r -a That
Digitized bv the C
The Christian Sabbath.
37
That he /hewed hhnfelf alive after hts t Taffion J being feen of than
Forty days, {.that is, tie was feen of them at times, not conltantly,
for the lpace of Fourty days) whereof that of his Refurreftion
y?&$ the nrft, and that of his Afcenfion was the lafi And if that
were Sunday, this mull be Thurfday. He may tell it upon his
fingers { as he fpeaks p. 5. ) if he plcafe.
But though our Saviours Afcenfion was not on the feventh day
of the Week ( in obfervance of the Seventh-day Sabbath, or in
confirmation thereof :) Yet the mififion of the HolyGhoft ( accor-
ding as on the Firftday of the Week, the day of his Refurreftion,
he hadjprqtnifed, luk. 24/49.) was oa firfi day of the Week
fulfilled alfo, as appears Acls 2. When the day ofPentecoft was
fully come, thatis, the Fiftieth day (for fo Penfecoft lignifieth in
Greek) they were all with one accord in one place (that is, they
-were unanimoufty aflembled) and fuddenly there cairn a found
from Heaven^ as of a rujhing mighty l¥ind y and filled the hmf\
where they >'were fitting / Attyjbfteappeared to them cloven tongues
Mkg as offiue y and it fat upon each of them ( thaMs, at l^aft, upon
each of the Apoftks, ) and they were allfilled with, the fioly Ghoft,
and began to /peak with other Tongues as the Spirit g&ue them ut-
terance. Which I take to.be a further iuftance, (if our Author
[will not allow it to be called a Sabbath,) at leaftof z Religious Af] em-
bly for the Worfhip of God ; (And lfiit had been on the feventh
day, how great a proof would this have been with him for a
Seventh-fay Sabbath.) This I take to be ^Chriftian Sabbath, and
within the profpeft of the Fourth Comtnandment. And though
it be not exprefly called a Sabbath (to avoid confulion or am-
biguity, becaufe the word Sabbath in common fpeech was then
appropriated to the Jewifh Sabbath, ) yet it is the facne thing.
And if he doubt whether the Feaft of Pentecojl were on the
Firftda vof the f^eei, as was that of the Acfurreftton; he may
be fatisfied from Levit. 23. 17. where that Feaft is appointed,
After mention made of the Pafs-over^ {ver. &c.) ^Mofes pro-
ceeds to that of the Wave -offering, v. 1 o, 1 1. When ye be come mio
the land which J give unto you^ and fhall reap the harveji thereof;
then fhall ye bring a fiieaf of.tht faftjruiiptyyQW harveji unto 'tig-
Triefiytndhe fhaU Wave the fieaf before the Lord to be accepted for
you ; on the morrow after the Sabbath the PrteftfbaU teave tf. u Afc
Whether by the Sabbathhtie mentioned be meant the Weekly
Sabbath, or the firfi day *f the Feaft of Unjeavened^ Bread, is not
material; becaufe, in that year whereof we are leaking, this
fi$ day of the Jeaft was pu, tjje W^ Sqbbathy^ is «*wfrft
from
.dventist Researc
38 The' Christian Sabbath.
from the ftory of Chrifts Crucifixion, which was on the Sixth
day of the Week, and the next day (being the Seventh day) was
the Feaft of the Pafs-over ; and the morrow after this Sabbath, was
the day of Chrifts Refurre&ion, as well of the IVave-tffering.
And then he proceeds, ver. 15-, 16, to the Feaft of Tentecoft, or
the Feaft offVeeks. Te JbaU count unto you from the morrow after
the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the Jheaf of the fvave-
offering, [even Sabbaths pall be compleat, even unto the marrow
after the feventh Sabbath, JhaUye number Fifty days (inclufively
taken, as the manner is in Scripture reckoning, and malt nesds
fee fo here.) It was called the Feaft <?f Penteceft, or the Feaft of
Weeks (as jDeut. \6. 9, 10.) which Feaft of Tentecofi was the
morrow after the Sabbath, on a firft day of the Week.
And on this firft day of the IVeek, ( the morrow after the feventh
day Sabbath ) hd*e was a folemn Affembly for Religious fcorfhip,
and a very large one, both of Jews and Gentiles out of every na-
tion under Heaven, Parthians, Mcdes, Elamites, &c. And this fo-
Jemnized by a Miraculous Effufion tfthe Holy Gbofi, in the gift of
Tongues : For we alt fear fay thofe of that great Affembly) every
one m our own Tongue wherein we were born the wonderful fkbrks
of God, ver <S, 7, 8, 9, 10, n, 11. With a long Sermon of
"peter s an that occafion. Which I take to be another celebration
of the Firfi^day Sabbath; and a very eminent one.
We are to obferve alio, that in fome of the places alleged to this
purpofe, though but ftngle inftances, there is an intimation of a
frequent ufage. As in that dih 10. 7. On the firft day of the week,
the dtfciples being affembiedto break bread, Paul preached, &c. Is a
fair intimation, that on the firft day they did ufe fo to ajfemble.
If it we re faid amongft u$,sfbout fix a clock, when they were come
together {in the College-Hall) tofupper, fuch a thing happened; Any
(unprejudiced) perfon would take it for a fair intimation, that
they ufed to [up about fix a clocks Afid if this Author could any
where find, in the book o$Job y that On the feventh day of the week
( from the Creation) when Job and his friends were afiembledfor
the joint fervice of God, Mldadjpafe thus, &c. He would take this
tor a firing proof that Hat fe venth -day Sabbath was then wont to be
obferved. Much ftronger than what he allegeth to that purpofe,
Abram and Lot had eacSof them fo many Catiel, that they could not
dwell ( or reft ) together, without quarre Rings among/l the'tr fcrvants.
And that of what Pharaoh faid to Mofes and staron, Why do you
Hinder their worLyou mak the people Reft from their burthens f
A like place is that of \ Cor. 1 5. r ■ % . Nm concerning the Col-
leftion
The Christian Sabbath.
leffion for the Saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Ga-
latta, even fo do ye t ( and what that was, we are told in the next
words,) Upon the firft day of the week^ let every one of you lay by
1 bim in fiore as God hath profpered him, that there be no gatherings
fwhen I come* ( If it had been fb faid to Noah, to Abraham^ or to
Job, Upon the feventh day of the 'week do thus or thus \ what a
'ftrong proof would this have been for theObfervation of a feventh
[day Sabbath ! )
I think it is plain from hence, that the Firft day of the week,
was weekly tfofcrved; and was wont to be obferved, both by the
Church of Corinth, and by the Churches oiGaktia. For St. Paul
doth not here advtfe it, but fuppofe it, or take it for granted.
What that order was to the Churches of Galath our Author
fays he cannot tell. I thought it had been plain enough : he bids
the Corinthians do, as he bid the Glatians ; that is, on the
[ Firft day of the Week, &c. What further order, he had given
the Galatians, it is not as to this point neceflary for us to know.
- But faith he, if they muft on that day lay as God hath bleffed
them, then they muft on that day cafi up thetr accounts, tell their
mony, reckon their fiock^compute their expenfes, &c. which are not
Sabbath-day Works. A wife objection ? As though all this could
not as well be done before (fo far as is neceflary) and, on Sunday,
put fo much into the poor mans box (or give to the Deacons or
IColle&ors) as (upon fuch account ) they fhould have found it ;
like as is now done in our Churches when there is occafion fot
'fuck Collections.
v Why doth he not make the fame exception to that of %>eut.
|*6, 10, concerning the Feaft of Pentecofit where they are to
j bring a tribute of a free-wiU-ofifering, which ( fays h« ) thou fhalt
give unto the Lord thy God, &x, according as the Lord thy God hath
bleffed thee ; Doth he think that en the day of Pentecoft ( which
was to be ftri&ly obferved as a Sabbath, a holy Convocation and no
\ fervile work to be done^v^}, 31.) they muft cafi up their accounts,
tell their mony, &c. becaufe they were to offer according as the
Lord hath bleffed them f I think not.
But here comes in again his former trifling objeft ion of w* <>*C-
I **V**, whether it fignify, the pft day of the ffeek Yet 1 am
Very confident, himfelf doth really believe it doth here fo fig-
nify, and (as to his own thoughts) doth not doubt of it. But per-
haps thinks it a piece of wit ? or skill in Greek, thus to obje£
againft his own judgment. Yet fince he will have it fo, ( and
we muft come again to Childs play,) I will fay fomcwhat to it
f & r Whether
Adventist Research
4-o The Christian Sabbath.
Whether uU <n.CGd7»v be good Gieek or no, as to the common
analogy of that Tongue ; or, what is the reafon of that Syntax ;
I need not trouble my felf to enquire, (becaufe it is nothing to
the purpofc ; for we are not inquiring whether it be good Grcek y
but what it here lignifiesj There are I prefume in all Lan-
guages ( by negligence or corruption ) fome harfli expreffipns,
as to the analogy of the Language, which yet are allowable by
'common ufage, and well enough underftood.
. He would think it perhaps a little harfli to fay in Greek rr*
&'Jta1cr, T¥A«ftoxa#AV7ot, ( that is in Latine, tres decimum,
quatuor 0 decimm, ) for what we % in Englifli tbirteentb,fbur-
teenth \ yet lb they /peak. And fomewhat harfli i umi Am* witj
Rev. a. 16. Rev. 3. 21. and 6rx* jt^jwr? #ti:U, Rev. 3. 12. (in-
flead ot T$-u*£*\% ?/x*»i* touSo» ) yecfoit.is. And Aj«r
x\ s b <; 5 i^fter©-, yet fo we find it Rev. 1. 4. And many fuch
may be Chewed.
tin Latine j idc'trco,^uocirca,poJlbac } ^uaproMer, contr over tor, pater -
familias, omne genus Amines , ^tbiops alius dentes, pridie calen-
das, and many more, are fcarce to be accounted for as regular,
ikve.that they ate fo ufed ; but, becaufe. they are fo ufed , they
are accounted elegant enough.
In Englifli ; Methinks /Tor / think ) three pound ten {hillings,
{ for three pounds, &c. ) three foot nine inches, many a one, a Jew
Pottage, and the like, 4re fcarcq regular ; yet are fo ufed. When
a Merchant marks his Parcels (and fojcalls thjem) number one, num-
ber two, &c. he means firjl ivAfecond. So, in the Ttar of our Lord
mc: thousand fix hundred an? [ninety one, One tboufand fix hundred
ninety two, is commonly faid ; when yet we mean ninety firjl,
ninety fecond; {oone a clocfawoaclock, for the firjl and fecondhour
after Twelve. And other the 1^ cafes, where the Cardinal num-
ber is put for the Ordinal. As it is alio in Gen. 1. The evening,
and morning were (jom ccbad ) day one ; which the Septuagint ren-
ders .JSpi^t pi« 9 and //lot doth there .fignify «^7». Ytt no wife man
will cavil as to the fenfc of fuch expreflions, (what ever they may
do as to the Grammatical conjlruffion,) when we know what is
meant by them.
So here , 'tis true uU doth properly fignify one in common con-
ftru&ion : but p m t <m&&7t>t doth never fignify other than the firjl
day of the week, (either in the New Telhment or any where die,)
not any day of the week, any more than one a clock doth lignify any
other hour than the firjl after twelve. When a thing is faid to be
done at one a chek ; he that (hall obje&, this may be any hour, for
every
Digitized by the-Cej
The Christian Sabbath. 4-1
every hour is one; would be laueh'd at And when a Merchant
bids his Prentice bringhim ««;»/wcw,if he bring him whatelfc
he pleafes (becaufe every number, is nurriberone, or one number)
he deferyes to be knockt.
■« Now when everyone knows(who undcrftands any thing of this
nature,) that <m(C*Tvr is the proper name jof that day which is
next after the Jewifb Sabbath, as much as one a c/qcj^ is the fioper
name of that hour which is next after Twelve : it muft either be
great ignorance, or fomewhat wprfe fo to object. 1 appeal to him-
ielt, whether eyer he met with that name (m any Author) in
^j^^^fdwfe^JliinO ;i;iw bstuofloti iv ) P \ «?
He fcemsto take it very unkindly^. 66Vo[ thofe who fli uld
think that, hyjon ofwfafhQldd be meant an ordinary Man, in
Afar, i . 2 8 . The Sabbath was made for Man. and not Man for the
Sabbath; therefore t/ye Son of Man tsLordalJo oj the Sabbath. Where
I jhiflk.it is plain, that in the former verie(/^ Sabbath was wade
for Marine.) it is manifefUy fpoken of ordinary Men. And though
in the letter verfe^ , ( thfiSon of Alan is Lord a/Jo of the Sabbat b, ) by
Son offflOf Pfuppofe is mswtCbriJt ; yet; is that Title given aUo
to ordinary Men, elfcwhere^Very often, As Job. is. 6* How much,
left Man who is a fVorm, and the. Son of Alan who is a IVorm ? And
Ifai. si. ii. Who art thou that Jhonldji be afraid of a Alan that pall
dy, andtf the Son tf M*n which (ball be made as Graf. So Pf 8. 4.
Why is* fifty, that thou art mindful of him, andlb$ Son of^SMan that
tbott vifitejl bm f j hn&U) tjie fame purpofe, Ff. ^44, ^ And (to
name no more) in the Book of Ezeklel, the Prophet Ezekjel is, in
that one Book, called Son of <JMan,oimtt than Chrift is fo called
iiy the whole.Bifcie. And if we would argue as he doth,we might
plaufibly obje^l,It might be fg meant hcre^hough I ihipk itis not.
But he cannot fliew that ever the jfewijb Sabbath was called the
Lords day (however he thiaks nmight have been;) npr( though j t
be Greek for One) that fJa^ftSciW js ever ufed for other than the
firjl day of the week,or the »**r after the Jewjfli Sabbath. Nor doth
he think it. Such trifling (to. give it no harder name) may do well
enough in Drollery or Burlefque,but not in a plain honejl Enquiry.
But if he would be /:uqfl$f rj$to {he ^hrafe ; 'tis plain enough
that ne6/5rfV«» is not pJCQperiy |^fii©eai4^..cafe governed of f A*.
For then it {hould have been •? bpcaufe^ct-m is of the
Neuter Gender 0 }( Afl4 Itkja ?oi%ke therefore. when p.s 8. he ren-
ders it by One oft/je Sabbaths, as if it had. been in ^fiwni) But
'ti$ governed r^eCPi^^ P^P 0 ^^ 011 or ^a™^ underflood,
(as or the like, ) and then, as in Latin pridie calendas { that is,
gVdventist Research
4-i The Christian Sabbath,
prior dies ante cakndas) is the next d*y before the Calends : fo ii fiU
ott&Siruv (or &wi oaCCiTw) the next day after the Sabbath:
The full conilrnftion is juf* ^W^v^r, (the word
being underftood in the word pi*, and &f Uflderftoorf irt the word
<x<&$3tm^) That h one day 'after the Sahbath ; which bfcing'the
proper Kame of a day, cannot be meant of any other but ffc
NtXt^qftah;- * * * \ - - >l] • < • ' 4& arfi it iT; ixs'ir
Tis certain therefore that { u\± the pfi day of the
f^eek 7 or the firjl day after thejcwijh Sabbat h^ was^from the Re-
ferKOT^of Cfcrift and after, ediii^iitk flfertalue^^d day
{occkl Qbfervation ; Twas honoured witli ChnlhA^jArY^^^
that day ; with his firft appearance Wl i$foty kMagdalm £n#ihe
other Women; then, to t]\zTw&!DrftipIes going to BmMiksy an J
his Religious Aflembly with them there; aitei tha^ to the d/*
fcipks at Jerufaleni and afleta'bling with them the famt cay ; and
the whole timeofthofe Aflemblings employed inlteligims Exer.
cifes, (Preaching Celebrating the Lartfc Stipper^Ihflrufiing and
[] Idling hi j DHciples, and giving them Cbmraifliort for P&^h-
ing the Gofpel and Planting the Chriftian Church^ Antf again
with the fame Difciples on that day fefrttight, aflfembled with
them, and in like manner employed. It was fpeciailyfignalized
alfo by the Miraculous EfFufion of the HolyGttojititii that day, in
a great- allembly of Jews and Gentries on the dav of P tutmfr;
and the day employed in Freshing aiid other Ite^iom^^xdM^i,
It was obferved in like manner at Troa$ } in preaching the Wdrcl,
Celebrating the Lords Supperjandothei Religious Communion ,as
things there afmlon that day. It was obferved at Corinth, not
once onely, but as a thing of cmfe ; and ft prefumed by the A-
pottle when he gives particular Inftru&ions coiiceflnkig^ Col-
lection for the Saints to be made weekly on that day. And m
like manner in the Churches of Galatia} fyilti "a-Iifet^Brtj^ion to
them. (And we have no reafon toTufpeft but that in oihct
Churches alfo, there was a like cuftoirife of "obferving that day. )
And it is the onely day of the week (unlets the Seventh-day, in
urder to the Jevcifli Sabbath) that is fo imieh as Mentioned by
name after the RdiirrcttioiV of Qhiifti :r '\Ai^#^P&iifl8tlat
prefent remember the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, or Sixth day
of the week by name- fo mentioned.) Now what we have reafon
to believe was fo generally obferved after the Refurre&ion, by
Chart himfelf (more than once,) by his Apoftles, and bv the
Chriftian Churches in theirdays ; we have reafon to believe was
according to Chrlfts di reflion. <T For we know v£ry well, that
•* Chrift
Dieitizedby the Ce
The Christian Sabbath.
43
Chriftdid after his refcrroftiobfrw commandments to the Mies,
cl Ut H l rJ Srt ? ^S^totk-k^domeofGod, and fcrl.ngihe
Chnftian Church What thole Commandments were m particu-
lar, we cannot tell ; but are wjJrefiime that what they did thcre-
SrJr? P " ft? a l^S c ° mmn / s ; :illd ^is in particular about
fte™$tWfy of the week, which we call the Clmflim
f u 7' if ™ C V 115 ™?t"dilKwftion to the jedtm Sahbath i
is caUed the Lords da/ ; £ev. r. to. And hath accordingly been
To called and fo obferved ever ince. Which being lo prated -
by the Apoffles, aud fo continued everiW I take to he a mod
As to what he fo often objetfs, that there is no exprei cMtann
thereof t eccrded: that is, not fuch a command as our Author de-
mands. We are not topreicribe toGod in what terms Ik flutB bake
Jcnown his Will, any rilore thah the Pharifees, Mat.it i'^ere
to prefenbe to ChrifJ what kind of^j he was to Ihew to ceftifv
his authority ; us fuftcient if Cod do in his own way. intimate-
vhatis his Wift, thonfih it be not\vith the fbrmaiitv of Be h
t Ka t r And ' v2 3" arc wilJin S t0 hc of Cod, will be
content fo to undeifland his meaning. An approved Tra^fe in
nconraged by Chrifls own Exmpte, and that of n:, ■ , !K!
the Chrt/lmn Churches theh,and continued in the Ctmfdn Church
e vn Cnce : Is to me great e v,dence of the wif] of God ; a n :d that
, Jhefe was a command for it, though it be not recorded. ( Like as
1 believe that ihere was, very early, a command from God, to
worlhip him by Sacrifice, though that command be not reco-rded.)
But (to that 'of "its being fo obferved ever (ince ) he objects,
have nothing but W^«/tither that the.Chriftian Sabbath
hath been fo obferved, or that it is failed tfc Lords-day. And
tradition u what he takes great pleafure to exclaim aeainfi ;
that be admitted ( faith he) where fhall we flop ?
Very well' I am not over fond of laying too great a weicht
upon Traditions ; at leaft not on all things that aTe pretended fo
to be. But, I pray, How can he tetf, otherwif: than bv fradt.
ftw», whether our Saturday 6r bur Sunday, be the Seventh day
incourfeJromthe Creation? Or, (if that be ioo hard a queftion)
whaher of the two is the Seventh day of the Jew/b WJf|, I kn6w
nothing but tradition for it I cannot remember fo long: Nor
have I fo long kept fo IbtiEt account of days as tohefurt of it.
tiHift to the common Computation of the world, that cur Sah-
F i bath
44 The Christian Sabbath.
bath is a continuation of that Sabbath which the Apoftles kept
And if fo, I am fafe, If not, I cannot help it And becaufe I
think the AupiUes Sabbath was on thehrftday of the Jewiih
week, therefore ,1 think ou^^% Jut if theirs was not,
neither is Qiirs f u ; ji&Ltc ijbjifiiDipoaibiii io, Att'Shiiaam v t
He woirld not have that Q f St. Revel, t lo. f tw tff W
foirit on! he Lords- day td be undeiltood (A our Sabbath And -why M
i-k tells us, i. Some think it to hi Chrijimtf day ; a^ome think
it to be Eafter-day ; and j. Some thinE if to be the Z>y 'of Judg-
ment And long Difcourfes we have upon all.thefe. Well ! But
doth he think it to be meant of any of thefe ? No. Then, to what
puroofc are thefe alleged, in disparagement of the Chriftian
^But he feems to have fo great difpleafure againft the Chriftiaa
Sabbath, that whatever he can think of to be Objected (though
he do not think it to be true ) he will be fure to Obje£L .( that he
may difparage the day-, or perplex the Argument J as if he were
moxe concefned to .beat down the Chuftm Sabbath, than joftt
up the t-wW. Not confide ring, that by all this, he is doing
thei r Work who would ha v e none at all. For they know well
that the Jewijb Sabbath hath been longtmce laid ahde ( without
any treat feat of returning;) and if they can but throw oft the
Cfrfc Sabbath alfo, 'tis what they would have. And us oi a
like impQTt what he argues (f 8+ ) ^coming to the pubbek
but once a day \ riot twice as ou r manner is ; ) For thofe wlio car,
not to come at all, if he difpence with "them as to the One, they
will difpence with themfelves as to the Other meeting.
I fhould rather think, that, the whole day being due to the
Service of God (publick and private) it is to be parcelled out,
as to the number and times of publick meeting ; as might ( accor-
ding to Chriftian Prudence) 'be judged molt conducing (in this
or that place) to thofe ends, and to common Edification-, and
that, to make fuch little. Circumtfances (otherwife than as they
conduce to thofe general ends) a matter of Religious Obfervatw,
or 'Divine Inftitution, is a like extravagance as that of the Pha-
rifees in laying like weight on' their Traditions,. and that o. the
Papifts on their numerous Superfluous Ceremonies. And is as
pi<$rfc{$m]tittb*, as'thefc. • 1" - at,
I do not' know this Author, (who thus argues againft ob-
Cervine the Chriftian Sabbath, andjagainlt publick meeting on
that day more than once ;) And therefore am not willing to judge
hardly. But the natural rcfult of what lie argues,, is, as 1 told you.
The Christian Sabbath. 4-f
He doth not think that John, was ( on the Lords day Rer.i. ro.}
\Ucpiag the Afiaherffiy of Chrifts Incarnation ; nor of his gefur-
pkion. (No more do I.) But why not? Becaufe (farthhe) be
tea/ fay , as. in the caje of Moles'* dead body, No man knows if
Sit- Sepulchre to this day. Now as to the Incarnatiori, 1 am apt to
[think, that no man.doth At this day know certainly,, either on
fcfut day of the Year, or what day of the Week Chrdt was
miri ( nor is it any matter whether we do or no. ) But I fhould
Hither fay, no man knows At this day, than | as he) no man
Woweth To this day, (as if no man hitherto had known it :) for
fertainly there have been thofe who knew it heretofore (while
fluwas alive) though, it be now forgotten, and at this -day no
Ein.knows it. . But, wiH lie .fay fo as to ^ the gefurre fiion 1 1
.think it is plain, that Ch rift was Crucified on the fourteenth
day, lay in the Grave the fifteenth, and role again the fixteenth
clay, of the ft ft month. And that he rofe on the firft day of the
week, no man doubts.. Hejfhould rather have put it thus, As m
man (owiTo this day, where is the Body oj Mofes, (that it might
toot be worfhiped,) So no mm knows. At this day , which is the
Seventh in csurfe from the Creation; that we might not contend
about it. Ki . . , . j . .
However, I am contented to admit , ( if that will pleate him J
fthat the Lords day there mention^ was neither meant oiChrift-
maftday, nor Eajler-dy, nor Whitftrnday, nor the day of. judg-
ment ; but think it to be meant of the fifday of the week, which
is the Cbiijlian Sabbath. Not, of any of thofe. other days men-
tioned ; nor of the Jewifb Sabbath, as he. would have it.
Tis, I think, a new notion of his own (at leait 1 know none
other of his mind ) that it .fhould he meant of the Jewifh Satibatu.
He grants there is nothing from tlx tircumftances of the Mace to
^determine it to this day. Nor doth he t pretend to fhew that the
• tewifh Sabbath was ever fo called. But he thinks it might have
keen fo called. For he fays God blefjtdarid janffifted the Jeventh
*W(thatis, the Seventh day after Six days of Labour) there-
fore it might haze been called the Lords day : and fo may as well
the Chriftian Sabbath ^ the Jews Sabbath. That the Son of Man
is Lordaljo of the SabbathMy , And fo is he of every day in. the
Week ;. and of the Cbrifim Sabbath (when that is ; the Sabbath)
as well as of'the Jewtfh. That the feventh day is the Sahaath $
'the Lord our God; that is, the.Sevcnth day alter Six days ot La-
bour ; but whether the Seventh day in cqjyfc from the Creation,
i? f np where laid.", "That j)a, 5 % 13. A'Sabbath is calJed^
ventist Research
4-6 The Christian Sabbath.
holy day: True, on what ever day the Sabbath be: Firft orl
Seventh of the Week ; or whatever day God appoints to be Jceptl
Holy ; As fbr instance, the firft and j event h day of the Fcajl offfn. 1
leavened head, Ex. ii. 16. The Firft day fhall be i '/ft^ Coiivo-
cation ; and the Seventh day fhall be a AT^ Convocation ; and
feach of the* was the Lords Holy day, on whatever day of the Veek I
they happened. * And the like for other days. So Levtt. 13 . 2, 4, «
8 1,21, 14, if, 17, 18, 30, ?i, 3J, 3<S, J 9. and ittw*. z8. rsj^itf!
Num. 19, 1, 7, 1 x, 3;. All the days here mentioned are the Lords
Ho/y days, yet I do not take any of them to be jplge x^*^. ■ And
all he can pretend to from thefe or whatever he produ^eth is
no more but that the Jewi/h Sabbath (white it was the Sabbitth)
might Awbeen fo called; the Lords day ; he ddth not
pretend to (hew that ever it was fo called.
Now I would defire this Gentleman (i f he can but a little while
lay afide his prejudice) toconfider, firft that the Lords day was
the proper name of a day ; whereby it might be known as diftin-
guilhedlrom other days ; (elfe to what pnrpofe h it faid I tons
iff the fpirit mi the Lords day;) whereas the proper name of the
Jcv&ijb Sabbath ( and of that onely as he would have as think
/>. 64) was the Sabbath day; and there is no appearance of rea-
fon, why, if he meant that day, he Oiould not rather have fiud
/ was in the fpirit on the Sabbath day, or the J event h day. This
therefore muft needs be meant of fome other day, ^nbwri by^an
2. I would have him next confider,the the Lord in the OldTe-
ftainent is the ufual name of God indefinitely ; without particula-
rizing this or that of the Three Perfons ; and the Sabbath of the
Lord thy God, doth not appropriate it tq the/d>oWPerfofi iftor?
than to thefift and third. And though I do not deny, that our
Lord Chrift was the God who gave the Ten Commandments (for all
the three Perfons are rtiefame God, ) yet I do not think it to be
Chrift onely, as contradiftinguiflied to the other two. And when
it is faid, / am the Lord thy God, thou Jhah have no tther God but
me , the meaning is .not, I the fecond Ferfcn, am fo the Lord
thy God, that thou fhalt'own no- either Terffaffax thy 6W befide
me the fecondVerjm. Bat theL^dfa the New Tcftment,
is for the mpft part applied peculiarly to mr Lord Chrift '(God' and
Man.) andisunderfiood r*V&yh of him. (As he is called elfe-
where v f Vfr K i t ,theSonof Man.)And accordingly dpi** xd'««f muft
be a day peculiarly apprppriaDc( ^ ^e^) tfo our LordChrift ; which
1 h c Jews Sabbath *as rtot, no** that of the 1 Fourth Comhrirfdmdnt:
which
The Christian Sabbath, 4/7
ich is the Sabbath of. the LordthyGod, that is of God indefinite-
; for 'tis in that notion that God fpeaksin the Ten Command-
ents, not as oneperfon contradiftintt t;o the other two.
It is .^glfou) the Lords day in* like, ftftfe as K«f^^
t jf ds Supper 1 Cm . x t, and W w * w v r ^U W* t
Cup of the Lord, tke Takir tfthe Lvrd y iCor. I0 .nyii" t Cm
. 17. In all which, by the Lord,is meant the Lord Chrift, God
dMac. And becauie, there being a double Sabbath then in ufe,
Jewjb Sabbath, and -tile Chrftmi Sabbath,,) and the word
^indefinitely having been a long time; applied to the JewM
hathj md would ht apt.to be duderfliood of it ■ therefore (by
of difan£hon).*Wfc0f -th^Ghi tftunfc (though a &A4*s£ alfo,
in the fenfc ot the Fourth Commandment ) was called /At
ds day, as being; the Day or Sabbath appropriate to cur Lord
us ChriB, And therefore when he tejls us, fo often, the World
made by our Lord jejus Chrift, and the taw given on Mount
rby om Lord jefus CM rfi^on vlihich Motions he feems to
great ftrefs,though it be nothing to the purpofe,)Ithink it is a
ake. For our Lord JefusChrtf is God and Man,hut he was not
IWdifarwhen the World was made,or iheLaw given, but one-
Sod. 'Tis true Chrifi as <?^(according to his Di vine Nature) is
p fame Godwho made the World,and save the La\v,( for we have
har God but ont)but not.as GtdandMan. For Man he was not
fiat time, but m the f ullnefs of time became- Man, The Sabbath
he Lord ourGod(n\ theFourthCommandment,with equal refpeft
ItheThrecPerfons)dothnotfignify the fame as/The Sabbath
br Lord Jefus C/jtijl (God and Man.) The Lord our God there,
the fame with om Lord fifus Chrifi, in the New Teftament.
^ Two* &v*kU {the Lords Supper) is the Supper of the Lord
ChriB (God and Man )ithe Founder of our Chriftian Reli-
t x rAnd accordingly. H^>w£ii»A;v^ £wds day) is the day
Lord Jefus Cbriii, a day appointed by him. ft-vv \
5 1 would have him con6der further, that the Lords day, (do-
ca, or dies dominicus, ) hath been all along in all ages of the
ftian Church, ufed as the proper name of what we otherwile
the Ckiftian Sabbath ; andiiot for xht proper name! of any other
tj and therefore, .till foinewhat do appear to the contrary, I
I' take it to be the iame with what is called the Lords day in
ture.
ere is,in the New Teftaniertt,a: place called Rome\ and there
this day a place in -Italy, called Rome, and which hath been
lied all along ever fince; neither do I know of any other emi-
ventist Resear<
4.8 The Christian Sabbath.
nent place fo called. Therefore (till fomewhat do appear to the
contrary) I (hall prefume our Rome to be the fame place with that!
which in the New Tellaraent is called Xme.\^mU^v.\^A
We find in fcripture there is an Ifland of the Mediterranean!
Sea called Melitaox Malt* ( where St. Taul fuffcred Ship-wrackjl
not far from another IAartd called Crete i Now we know alfi? therel
is in the Mediterranean Sea an Ifland called Malt a i at this davj
and another not far from thence called Crete or Candy, aad we do
not know of any other Iflands fo caUed, then,or at any time lincej
and therefore we may fafely prefume (till fomewhat do^appeail
to the contrary) that thole Iflands -now 'lb called,- axe the famel
Iflands with thofe which- were then fo called.
' And in like manner,that Day which hath been e ver trace called!
the Lords-day as by improper name, we may and:ougbt to prefunwl
to be the fame day which was by St. John fo called (as ^by it»|
proper name) in Rev. i. Jo. when* he wrote the Book ct the Re-I
delation ; till it con be toewed that he did by that name meaal
fome'dikw^ayi'; » ! : 3 m .!i'^' "? n :igoorii. *trqj "^j j
■ And we have the more reafonfotb prefume, becauie we nnditt
fo called by others, very foon after St. John's time; and by thoKI
whom we have great reafon to believe to have Been well acquaint!
ed with St. John's meaning and his manner ot fpeech. .>
The firfl 1 lhall name is St. Ignatius, who was not onely Con.
temporary with St. John, butwas a Difciple or Scholar otSt.>2*|
Now St John (according to the befl account we can have\ troiM
Chronology) wrote his Revelation in tatmos (whither he was!
banilhcd by "Domitun,) in or about the year of our Lord 96 ; (attefl
Which he wrote his Gofp'el, tipon bis retWn from Tatmos to i&
plxfus : ' And died in the Yea* pS or 99 under Trajams. An|
ftnalius died a Martyr under the fame Emperot Trajan, m tit*
Year of our Lord 10^. So that there is no greatdilhnce tn tunej
(And if welhouldmifs a Year or two it is not material.) Hofll
long before his death Ignatius molt bis Epittle to ™f M$ n Wf>>\
*e are not Aire (nor is itmatcriilO Now m that his EpiftletJ
i\\t &{agtieji<tfis, even according to the genuine Edition publilhe«
by Bifhop Ujher out of an ancient Manufcn.pt (not that which HI
tlv fnfpccted to be interpolated,)!* doth earneftly exhort the*
riot to%wWV, but to live as Chns7ians;:(Si enim ufque nunc\t\
cwidum Judatfmum v'tumui; coufitemur gratiam non recepijje.Ji
And as to the Sabbath in particular, Non amplius Sabbat izanHhl
fed fecundum Dominkam vivcntcs, in qua & vita nostra orlii
eff:) Net atiy longer obferving the jewfh Sabbath, bat the Lor#i
Digitized by the Cd
The Christian Sabbath. 4-9
ay on which Chrift our Life rofe again. It is manifeft therefore,
at witiiin 8 or 10 years after Zi.Jobn s writing,/^* Lords day did
ot fignify the Jewifh Sabbath, hutxhtfirft day oftheweeJ^, on
-hich our Saviour Rofe again; and that it was then obferved in
ontradiftin&ion to the Jewifli Sabbath. I forbear to mention his
tpiftle ad Trallianos (where again we have applied to
he firftday of the week on which Chrift rofe again) becaufe ic
in that Edition which is fufpe&ed to be interpolated.
I might to this add the Teftimony of Tolycarp, who was alfo
Difciple ot St. John, and collefted and publifhed thefe Epiftles
f Ignatius; and may be prefumed to underftand what St. John
""ant by the Lords day.
But I (hall add in the next place that of JuJIm Martyr ; whom
ough I cannot call a Difciple of St. John, ( becaufe he was not
inverted to the Chriftian Religion till about the Year of our
lord 119, about Thirty years after St. John's Death,) yet he
' ed fo foon after, that he could not be ignorant of the Chriflians
ra£iife T and what they underftood St. John to mean by the Lords
ay. And how that dav was obferved in Juftiris time, he tells
s in (what is called) nis Second Apology, T* ri fat* Xi^ftlri SfJfA
rivuMT* *V 9 ATnd\ei9 y n jn nyy^lufiAra *V 4^$htof intyiittSiwi and
little after ? & iklu >V*^ y > viAu % fiutfMt/pir infipldft'tfffJ^
an ivfy ifni &io; ii ffw&7& ty $ vkLu 7f i-Jot<, Kotruov imhn' ^ Uc*i
jsif o ifjii7iec< ^lit, r * ifxipA U*%tf»9 fiWfH. Q*lffhat day com*
nfy caUed Sunday y there is held a Congregation or a general Meet-
together, of all Inhabitants whether of City or Country, and
There are publickly read the t3fepwials.or ^Monuments of the Apo-
les } or the Writings of the Prophet \r, &c. And again, The day
aSed Sunday we do all in common make # <rw\h%v<nf the Meeting-day;
- that the Frrft-day is it on which God from "Darhjtefs and<3iattn
%de the World, and our Saviour Chrift did on the fame day
)jfe from the dead. In which places though it be not called do-
ntca, but dies folis, (becaufe nere fpeaking to a Heathen Em-
ror,) yet how it was then folemnly obferved, in memory of our
rd Chrifts Jlcfurrcfiion, is evident.
'Tis manifeft therefore that the Lords day (£*"#* wv**& , *Do-
itica, or Dies 'Dominic us, ,)wus the known name of a day fo called
ten St John wrote hisXevelation / That it was a day of Religious
orfhip contradiftinguifhed to that of the Jewifh Sabbath, \o ob-
rved and focaff/dby (St. John's Difciple) Ignatius within 8 or
^ years at mofl after St. John's writing that Book ; ^Which he
G would
so The Christian Sabbath.
vould not have done if he had not thought it to be fo meant by
his Matter St. Jotm.) And in what manner it was obferved (in
their folemn religious affemblies) Jufiin Martyr tells us within
%o years after that ; and that it was otherwife called ( A hit
wit* ) Sunday. And that Dominica or jDies Z)cminicus 7 hath been
fo ufed not onely by the Ancient Chnftian Writers, Ignatius^
Clemens 7 Iren*us, Origen, Tertullian^ &c but by the Councils and
Church Htftmy all along ; hath been fo often fee wed by divers,
and is to be feen by any who pleafe to confult them, as is not to
be doubted by any ; imlefs we would (under the notion of Tra*
ditkn) deny all Hiftory ; which in a plain matter of Fad were
very unreafonable. Nor can he (hew that the name of the Lords {
day ever was (however it might have been as he thinks) attri-
buted to xhtjewifb Sabbath. And therefore to tell us that this
name is jioUen from the Jewifh Sabbath to be applied to ours, is
fuch a Fanfy as may be laughed at, but doth not defer ve a ferious
Anfwer. Sure we are that the ChriHian Sabbath hath been long
in pofleffion of that name ; but ? that ever the Jewijh Sabbath was
fo,there is no evidence : Therefore the Theft muft be on his Gdc,
who Heals it from us to give it to the Je wife Sabbath.
But he tells us, that our Saviour himfelf obferved the Jewifli
Sabbath* (And I fuppofc he did fo. And. that he was Circum-
cifed nlfo 7 and did obferve the Ceremonial Law.- But it was be-
fore his Death and Refurreflion, I do not find that he obferved
it afterward.
But he fays, after Ch rifts Death when he had faid It is jwi/bed,
he kept the Sabbath in the Grave. Be it fo (if that were keeping
a SaUath,) And the good Women refted on that day according to
the Commandment. And why not ? Since Chrift was not yet
rj fen ; nor was the day yet changed, or pretended fo to be. This
therefore is but Whimfey and nothing to the purpofe. We all
agree; that, till the Refurre&ion of Chrift, the Jews obferved
the jewilh Sabbath, on what they called the Seventh-day of their
Week, But whether or no it were a Seventh from the Creation,
we cannoc tell.
*Tis more to the purpofe what he tells us, that TWand other
Chriftians did after Chrifts Refurreflion feem .to obferve the
fewife Sabbath ; Going to the TmPle and to the Synagogues on
the Sabbath day; meaning thereby the Jewi/h Sabbath. And it is
true ; They did fo go. But I anfwer ;
i. So they did on other days as well as on the Sabbath, and in
other places, as well as in the Synagogue and the Temple, jiff, s
4*
The Christian Sabbath. $1
j\ » the Temple, and in every houfe, or from houfe to houfe
r^^r <ui & f * *" rqlUw*i&T ) they ceafed not to preach
Jejus Chrift, And Ail. 1. 46. they continued doyly ^ >>t^, mitf
me accord in the Temple ^ *kMU r 0 U» ^ p y and breaking bread
it home, ox from houfe to houfe. As to fuch duties of Worftip as
were common to them with the Jews, they took the opportunity
of joining therein with them ; whether on their Sabbath, or on
any other day ; but as to what was peculiarly Chnftian, this they
performed in leparate meetings from them; breaking Bread
*t home, y 3 V ,Txoi, or from houfe to houfe; The Sacrament of the
Lords Supper (being peculiarly a Chriftian fervice) they did cele-
brate m their houfes, or feparate places of meeting. And fo we
bnd it a t Troas ; and, on the firft day of the vo&kj Aft. 20. 7. on
tbefirftday of the week, when the Difcipks were met to break
Wfcrvice. And/Wat AAwr. A&.
lirlr m« V ? 7 v ' e,; ») He took thc opportunity of nub
n tne Sabbath or any other day, to preach Chrift to them whe-
Jerjews or Greeks. Which doth not prove that thevS ISS
Je Seventh day to be the d^S«SS£j ? *R*L £S
1^,1 i'^ching on Mars-kU, or in the Marht-place wou | d
Tove hat he took thefe places to be the Temple oSaZae
' ?oo W k the t0 * Tl ft 0f *^fei SSS
• took th e opportunity of Preaching Then and There > and
dd fo have done at any other time and place as there was oc
»n In feaf m or wt offeajon^ he ad vifeth Timothy, Tim ™
He doth not <teny,p. ,„. but that ?W did keep til FeTftToi
r *S I a V- He blds 'W<"W(at Epkfus) fayinc.
ZthJ U 7 £"2 ?"J»*> Which kft he tl mks
t«that ofthc^ werj though it be not named. But whether
els How great a proof would this have been for the Seventh -
T s &d indeed, he did onthe sjhth <ty gQ inn uhe Syna-
( but lo he did on other days,) but not that he kept the Sab-
G 1 bath
j-i The Christian Sabbath,
bath day; much lefs that he mufi by all means Keep it. Or that
he mult by all means take a journey pom Ephefus tojcrufaltm
rather than not keep it, though he were to return thither again.
Yet this Author doth not, for all this think, the Law for the
Jewifi <?afs-over to be then in force. But only that Taul too{,oc-
ca/ion to be there at that pubhek great wneourfe of People, to preach
Chrijt to the multitude. For that the Jpoftleswerc under no ok
gattonto keep that feafi of the Tajs-over, after the death ofChrifi^
is to him ( he fay s ) paji doubt. And why may not we lay the fame
of his going into toe Synagogue on the Sabbath day (rather than mifs
fuch an opportunity of a publick concourfe)wtiic\i was a lefs journey
than from Ephefus to Jtt ufalem ? though under no obligation to keef
the jewijh Sabbath, more than to keep the Jews Tafswer.
i. But I anfwer further. The Jews who were not Chnllians,
did vet continue to obferve the Tc with Sabbath as a matter of duty.
Ana iticre was no ic**^ 1U ^ UAW "" V ^ 1 VM " T Afl
Z noSowled ge our ak to be the M V^g*
Catch T aw to be at an-end, butCircutncifion and the Jexuln uec
mm y«in foJce, there was no reafon why thev &o«ld n
TV IVrXlL oblieed to the lewilh Sabbath. And many
the MoSk Law did comply withtbepi therein For know i
it was expired, they were content ftill to obferve it. I An,
"uTGenSman'be of that nund, I would not hinder hnu |f aje
from fo doin S : but neither would I incourage him. } And I h
[rApoiUes willing to connive at it and even to countenance
Not as a thine nec ejfary, but at leaft aUowable.
And though thfydidnot think fit to bring a new Take*
^ Gentiles who had not before been obliged to the Jewilh La
wiunotdlw the GentiUs ^ircumcif
And he did himfelf comply with the ceremonies,
J ti l*. HmngPm hisheadinCenckea; Jorjehada
A^d thofe of Puri&m Aft- ^«. Kot that be thought A
Law now obliging but, becaufc many of the M'™»iJ™ s .
The Christian Sabbath* si
would not give offenfe to them. For he was fatisfied as to himfelf,
that Circumcifion avaxleth nothings Uncircumcifion, i. Cor. 7. 19.
Gal. 6. 15-. But was content { ull by time and further lnltrudtion
they fliould be better fatisfied ) that each one mould be gratified,
as to their own pra&fe, according to their own fentiments, as
to things yet difpu table. ,
And accordingly, as to eating or not eating things lorbidden by
tWf/s Law, his advice was, to the Romans, ( many ot whom
were fews ) Rom. 14. 17. Let not him that eateth not, judge him
that eateth, ( as breaking a Law which he thinks to be yet in
force,) nor let him that eateth, defpife him that eateth not, Us a
fool that doth not underfland his own liberty )Jor the kingdom of
God is not meat and 'drin^&c. "
. And in UtaHfiga hew Tote of tWr^* upon the Gentiles
(to whom before it had not been a Law ) yet do 1 advife them to
Shear things jangled and hkud, becaufe this had once been a
Law to all the Sons ot Noah, Gen. 5?. 4. , w>'.i .vnirf
Not but that even this was now antiquated, but ( to avoid
offenfe) becaufe it had once been a Law For I «Je ™ Aofe
thingsio fall under thefe Generals, ^ /rw/S
and link,hut nghteoufnefs and peace and joy in he Wff£°"j
I+ . , 7 . and every creature of God ts good, 1. T^^JiJ
at/f^dthat^
indeed are pure, Rom. 14 14, io. lit. 1 . 1 j. £i«
us not to God; for neither if we eat, are we the better [as making
ift of our lawful liberty) 'neither ifw eat not (in compliance with
'thofe whobe unfatisfied) are we thewotfe, 2 . Cot. 8. is.
So that the Praflrce of the Apoftles or, *c Ourch at ha
time, incompliancewiththejews, ^ to what had before been a
Law but no P w was not ; is no argument that the : thing was hen
oblieatorv as before it had been, but only an argument ot tnur
oEenVn in things of a middle nature rather ^ than to give
0Mi£ or » the Church of God ver. Jl? i^rJ^Jtlx
came a a lew; To the weak I became as weak, I am
torlifiandeth, left I make my Brother to offmd ***
rt- The Christian Sabbath.
And the like I ftippofe as to the yew/(b Sabbath; He that re-
gard th a day regarded it to the Lord; and he that tegardeth not the
day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth y eateth to the
Lord , for he giveth God thanks ; and he that eateth not , to the
Lord he eateth not, andgiveth God thanks, Rom. 14, 6. Where 'tis
manifeft that he doth parallel the obferving or not obferving a
day then queftionable ; with the abftaining from meats difpu-
table ; that is, from fuch as before were unlawful, but now ceafed
fo to be, though all were iiot yet therein fatisfied.
And though it be not exprefly faid, what was the 'Day thus
m queftion ; yet it is moft likely to be that of tixt jewijh Sabbath ■
For, that the firft day of the Week or Chriflian Sabbath was now
nfeftrcrt)* oftervecnmv Vmn^flhotfc^jhe Jewifb Sabbath
? r f ? l » n ? in t°^^ "d the Mofaick Ceremonies, wefe
doubtlefs for that alfo And the ApofHes Rule was for a mumal
condefcenfion (as to the Jews) for each to follow their own fen.
timents therein, without cenf bring one another.
But as to the Gentiles, he feems to be of another mind ; And
therefore to the Gafafians, who were moft of them GenttfcChri-
JUans he would not fo much as allow thepraflife of Circumafton
( which to the Jews he did; j and tells them that if they be Ciratm-
Cjfed Chrtft pofiteth them nothing f and he that is Circumafed is
ct%**l^ 1 A™*! H * " ** a renouncing
.Chnft who had made them Free; putting themfelvts under the
Jewilh Yoke, to which (even before ) they were not fubjeft
And therefore to thefe he fptaks more warmly, Gal II 6 7
I marvel that you arefofoon removed from him that called you mio
the grace ofCkrift unto Mother Go/pel: Which is not another, ( or
there being no other Gofpel t ■„ i w whcre as there h m \\>
other Gofpel ; ) onk there bt -fome that trouble you, and would pel
vert the Go/pel of Chrift. And fuch are thofe who would brinfon
them a wjfe (by making that a Duty which God had not
m ?nJ°l) t he P rcirah them t0 kee P clofc'to the Gofpel
ot Cfmtt, as by him delivered (without any connexion of Mofes'%
Law,) there being indeed m other Gofpel but that ; and they who
teach them otherwife, do pervert the Gofpel; the true Gofpel of
Clmit, including no obligation to the Jewilh Law ; either as to
Cmumafton or the difference of meats, or other particulars of
that Law; as he argues, m the fecond, third and fourth Chap-
ters ; fhewing that even thofe who were before under it, are now
treed troai it ; and they much more who were never under it. And
there-
The Christian Sabbath, ff
thereupon . Chap. 4. 0, J0 , 11, he rebukes them feverely, that after
they had fyown God (or rather were known of God) they Jhould
yrn again to the wea{ and beggarly rudiments or elements. Te ob-
erve [ faith he J days and months and times andyears, lam afraid
tfyw left /have bejlowed upon you labour in vain.
Tis not indeed here faid in particular, what thofe days were,
that are here meant; yet it is moft likely (and fcarce to be doubted)
to be meant of the Jew/Jh Sabbath. For though other Obfervation
of Times be here reckoned up (there being the fame reafon of all)
yet there was no occafion for the others, in Galaiia. For the Jews
ihemfelves did not think themfelves obliged ( nor do the Jews
t this day ) to the obfervation of their other Feafls or Fafts out
f their own land But to that of Circumcifton, and of the
ewijb iSW^andthediftinaionof tffeats they thought them-
Ives obliged even out of their own land. And of fuch we
uft underftand this to the Galatians. Thefe being the things
there in queftion ; not thofe other, which were confined to the
land of fotftfrfwr
< But he objects here,^ that though 2>ays be mentioned, yet not
Sabbath-days ; and fanfies it might be meant of fome ether days ;
not of Sabbaths. To gratify him therefore in this alio, I will
•proceed to that of Co/of. 1. 1 6. Where Sabbaths are txprejly named.
I To the Cohffkns } who were alfb Chriflian Gentiles, he pur-
; fues the fa me notions; Leafi any one fbould beguile them with in t ice*
ing words, Col. 2, 4, f thereby to bring them under the Mofmck^
Law:) He bids them Beware left any fpoil them through Thilofophy
I and vain deceit. Whereby, I fuppofe, he means the Mofaick
f doftrines or Philofophy of the Jews, (which Clemens Alexan-
drinus doth all along call %ikw*w Hfiiw in contradiftinflton
I to that of the Greeks,) after the traditions of mm, after the
rudiments ( or elements ) of the world r , and not after Chnft ,
ver. 8* and that particularly of Circumcifion ver. xi. (in the
room of which, Baptijm is come-, ver. 12. ) Chrift, by his
Death having blotted cut the hand-wrtting of ordinances ( meaning
itjie Jewifh Law ) and took it out of the way, nailing it to bisCrofs,
^er^ 14. and ( amongfl other things ) Let no man therefore judge
you in meat or in drmhS as if fome were now clean others mclean y
as under the Mofaick Law, ) or in refpeff of an holy day y \i^iii a
Fejiival ) or of the new Moon , or of the Sabba'h days 7 >i m#w«f '«* t
<t*CU<ru^ ver. 16. Where by Szbbatbmjll needs be meant the
Jewtfh Sabbath ; the day which in common fpeech was under-
flood by the word Sabbath,
$6 The Christian Sabbath.
For this, he hath two or three evafions. He doth commonly
prefs hard in other places , that by Sabbath is to he underfbod
the Tews Seventh-day-Sabbath , and no other. {The holy Spirit
doth call the Seventh-day , the Sabbath , and no other day of the
week both in the Old and m the New Tefiament throughout,?.^. )
And, I think, he is not much out therein ; that it doth, ufually,
fo fignify where it doth not come with fome intimation todnedt
us to fome other fcnfe. And why it mould not be thought fo to
fignify here, I fee no reafon. For though I take our Chrifttan
Sabbath to fall as properly under the wordS^aM in the Fourth
Commandment, as that of the Jews; yet the word, in common
ufe , having by this time become the piper name of that Day
which the jews fo calkd, it was neceflary ( to avoid confufion )
to give the Chriftian Sabbath another name; as that of the Lords
2)ay, or the pfi day of the week And confidently that the
Sabbaths here mentioned, are to be underflood (according to the
then ufe of the word ) of thoje Sabbaths. Not as if all days of
Holy UeB were hereby forbidden; but onely the nicety of con-
fining it particularly to that day which was then ( in common
fpeech ) fo called.
But he would not have it here underftood of the Seventh-day
Sabbath (as every where elfe ) but fome other Ceremonial Sab- '
baths; but what thofe are, he doth not tell
That there were fomeotherFw/rr obferved by the Jews,which,
in the Old Teftament, are fometimes called Sabbaths { but very
feldome, ) I do not deny : nor that thofe come under the ge-
neral Words in this place. But thofe do not feem to be here
principally intended , becaufe it is manifeft to be underflood of
the Sabbath there in difpute. Now there was no occafion of
a difpute concerning the obfervance of thofe other Sabbaths, a-
mongfl the Gentiles, out of the Holy-land. Thefe obfervations
being not thought obligatory, even to the Jews, but in their own
Land onely. And it is exprefiy provided, Z>eut. 16. that thefe
were not to be kept in any place promifcuoufly ; not withm any
of the Gates which the Lord thy Godgiveth thee ; But m the place
which the Lord thy God fhall chttfe to place his name there. So ot
the Tafiwer, ver. f, 6. So of the Feall of Tentecoli^ ver. it. So
of the Feart of Tabernacles, ver. i y . And of altogether, ver. 1 6. And
the refore, not out of their own Land. I do not deny but that
they might, in private houfes, eat the Tafchal Lamb, (as Chnft
did, with his Difciples, ) but not Sacrifice the Pafs-over. For it
was to be Jacrificed in the Temple onely ; and the Feajl of the
Parti. The Christian Sabbath. j7
Tafi-over xohtthere folemnly kept. Not i, private houfes- and'
much lefs out of their own Land. *
Nor do I remember, that any where in all the NewTefk-
. merit, the word Sabbath is ufed for any./k* Sabbaths : Nor can
reaionably be fuppofed to be here meant of thole Feoffs becaufe
uisputm contradiffinaiontothem. Let no man judre you in
kfpf ofaFeaf, of the New-Moon, or of the Sabbaths* Which
T " 0 L t 1 underfi:ind i « Sabbath might now be kept, but
, - that the Obligation to that Sabbath was now at an end
Another evafion is this He would have ««rf T „ (Sabbata) in
he plural number, to fignify Weeks, not Sabbath-days. The Sab.
Mth-day being called, in the lingular number, ( Sahbatum.)
For he will rather play at fma|| game than/land out. If we fhoujd
allow him this, it would not advance his purpofe at ali For if
• the biifinefs. of Weeks be at an end, ( that we arc no longer to
diftnbute our time mo Weeks,) than that of tile Sabbath much
more, winch he would have to be thefeventh day of the Week
l Butfuppofewe. do allow that one Sabbath is to be called Sab-
■batum ! what are we to call two or more Sabbaths ? Muff: not they
be Sabbata* And if this behis meaning, then are we not to ob-
lerveluchStfW^j any longer.
■ But what draft we then fay to -JMat. 28.1 . ?4* nCSdr*,, which
wc render In the end of the Sabbath, meaning thereby the5*w«^
day Sabbath then part, 7 J infm'm th w*> mCUimt as it be-
ganto draw towards the firji 1 day of the Week: mult we read it,
*t the end of the Sabbaths (becaufe etCUim is in the plural num-
ber,) when the Sabbaths (meaning the feventh-day Sabbaths) were
Vow at an end, and the Firji -day Sabbath coming on in their place?
-If that reading pleafe him ; it will ferve us as well.
\ But he is miftaken in his Criticifm. 'Tis true that ^Kirmr
pit the plural number feems to be fomedine.put for a Wee\ (but
tear. Weeks, that I know of, as he would have it.) And foit is
-commonly taken to be where we find (d* <nCC*r*r 7 for the firji
<Jay of the Week ( but may as well be render 'd, the firji day after
the Sabbath.) And fo is in the lingular, as Luk. 18, n.
?W« St n nCC «7k, Ifajl twice in the week, I fuppofe he would
not have us render ixlfaft twice on the Sabbath-day (though it be
3n the Angular number,) as if. he did fa/l twice upon one day. But
/thus rather, I keep, two Fafls to one Sabbath, which is the fame
*n lenfe with, Ifajl twice in the Week- In like manner as the
Olympiad, may be taken fometime for that particular year os
Which were the Olympic k Games (which were wone to return
H every
;8 The Christian Sabbath. Parti.
every inclufivelv, that is, as weufe to fpeakthe>r/W
after tit laft O/^rr*,) fometime for the interval o f four y ears From
the end of one Olympick to the end ot the next foil owing/ So here
Sabbatum may be fometime taken ftriaiy for the Sabbat bJay , and
iometime for the whole feptiduum or we tfrom Sabbath to Sabbatn .
And lo is (in the plural number) taken alio for a Sab-
bath Jay ; Thus I take it to be here, (Mat. 4?
when the Sabbath-day was ended ; in the fame fenfe with that ot
tMark J>«*.«i« ? (facing of the ver L ,Ta
time) ttiff/^ AMiirf waspaft. And in like manner, ^Uttb.
ix. i. ^ M4///«f tfrJfcrwMtf •» the Sabbath day through the Corn
nh [Sabbath) in the plural number And fo it is in MarK
1. 1?, it wfc oxu*. Yet it is meant but of one day, as appears by
the parallel place (where the fame is again related) Lufu 6. i. 4'
nj Andfo jM* n. J, io,ix. tiW»r. 3-4- £«■ 4- JJ-
Luk. 6. x ,9. And in the Septuagint is commonly put tor the
Sabbath-day. I will not fay always (becaufe I have not examined
it) but inall the places which I confulted. And even in the : body
of the Ten Commandments F.xod.io.%. pt&n * *
(iru-y. {Remember tbeday of the Sabbaths; in the plural number.
And again ver.to. ™ $ »# * e =M ^/ us > W** ** r ul
the feventh day Sabbaths to the Lord thy God;) So Ex. i6- xy
*U*,S. t 4jfe#***fe* [the Sabbaths a holy Reft unto the
Lordto morrow.) And in»V. ij. j. days JhaH work be done but
the feventh is the Sabbaths of Reft ;yeJhaU dono work there-
i*faiCCx+* ti mi* it is the Sabbaths of the lord Which arc
the lignal places wherein the Sabbath is commanded. And the
like very often (if not always) in the Septuagint whofe lan-
guage the New Teftamentdoth ufually follow. So that his Cnti-
cifm comes to nothing, but only to fhew how carelefi he is ot
he fays if at leal! he may feem to fay Jomewhat. (Such is that
•when he tells us p. 136. that GodwbohatbrefervedaTenthofour
Subftance, hath referved But a Seventh of rime. As though he
thought a tenth part to be more than a feventh part. And many
iiich negligences, which I fpare to mention.) , ' , , ,
B it whether we render it Jabbath-day or jabbath-day s the lenie
is (till the fame. And the Apoftles defign m all thefe places feems
to be this, that though to the7«w, to whom it had once been a
Law,hedoth allowaliberty (till they (hould be better fatisfied) tof
each to follow his own judgment (without cenfuring others) as
well in this of the Jewijb Sabbath, as in the bufinefs ot Circum-
afion, and the abftinence from &!e*ts, and their other Rttes>
Parti. The Christian Sabbath.
'■ yet he would by no means fuffer thefe to be brought upon the
Gentiles as a new Toke to which before they had not been fub jeci.
I fay as a new Toke to which they had not been fubjeft. For
though I do admit that by natural light, or the Law of Nature,
I man ought to allow a competent time for the fblemn fervice of
■ God ; and, by a pofitive Law , that it fliould be at leaft one day in
\fevett, that is, after fix days of Labour, the f event b to be a day of
Reft; and fo much to be intended in the Fourth Commandment :
[ Yet, I do not think it to be fo determined to this day in order,
as to be unchangable to after Ages.
We can be no ways fure, that the feventh day in otder from
the firft raining of iStfanna, Ex. 1 6". was the feventh in order
f r... .v» ie thev did obferve it then in ordf r from
, thence; io when Chrtft, or his Apoltles by direction from him,
did put it into a new order , this new orcler doth as well fine the
I words of the Fourth Commandment as that former.
I do the rather fay that this to the Gentiles is a new Toke, be-
caufe I find this to be given as a fign, a covenant. Or diftin&ive
: mark given to the Jews, as Gods peculiar 'People, in contradiftin-
dtion to other Nations; juft iiC'trcumcifion was. So Exod.\\. 13. My
Sabbaths ye jhaU keep, for it is a Sign between me and you throughout
Wyour generations , and ver. 16. The Children of ffrael Jhattkeep the
t Sabbath , to obferve the Sabbath throughout their generations for a
perpetual Covenant, and ver. 17J It is a Sign between me and the
Children of Ifrael for ever. SoEzek. io. it. I gave them my Sab.
bat hstobea Sign between mt and them ; an3 ver. t 0. They (hull be
4 Sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord
I f ottr God. juft as it is faid of Circumci/ion, Gen. 17. 7. Iwi&
1 • eftablijh my Covenant between me and thee ( faith God to Abraham )
and thy feed after thee, for an Everlafting Covenant, to be aGodunta
thee and thy feed after thee: and ver. 10, rx. This is my Covenant
I whichye ftiallk^ep between me and you, and thy feed after thee, every
k male-child among you fhaSbc Circumcifed , and it /hall be a Token of
the Covenant between me and you: andw. 13. -fffly Covenant fhall
M^be inyourpfh an everlaftmg Covenant, ( not as it Circumcijion were
to be for ever obligatory ; but rebus fie Jlantibus, fo long as
things continued in that eilate.) And fo it is called Rom. 4. 1 1.
• He received the Sign of Circumcijion, a Seal of the Righteoufnefs o f
Faith. And fuch was the B loud of the 'Pafchal Lamb on the Door.
^ posls of the /ic«/f, Ex. 12.7 to be a diftinfffoe mark between Ihe
Israelites and the Egyptians; niver. 13. Tbebkud Jball be to you
for a Token upon the heufes wbereyou are , and -when f fee the bioud
H 2 /wiH
60 The Christian Sabbath. PartL
Twill pafs over you. And fo Ex. 1 1 . 5^6,7. That ye may kpow how that
the Lord doth put a 'Difiinffion between the Egyptians and Ifrael.
And our Author himfelf,/><i£. 16. doth prcls the fame, and puts
great weight upon it, that this Seventh Jay 'fabbath is often called
a Sign forever between him and them, and a perpetual Covenant, to
Dijiinguifo his People from others; that is, the people of the jews
from other Nations. And fo to be a Sign for Ever, as Circumcifion
is an EverlaJIing Covenant.
Now whatfoever was a jDifiinffive Mar^of the People of Ifrael,
from other Nations, as was that of Circumcifion, the Tafs-over,
and die Seventh -day fabbath, was at an end and toceafe when the
Tartitionwall was broken down between Jew and Gentile, when
Chrift bad made bo/h one, and aboiiflxd in his * L * RnmityAeven
thelawofCommandihcm* comatnea tn K)rdtnances,\to mm of iwatn
One new man ; to reconcile both in One body by the Crofs, having flaiu
the Enmity thereby, Eph. i. 14, ij, 16. Or as it is Col. a. 1 4. Ha-
ving blotted out the band-writing of Ordinances which was againfi
us, and was con trary to us, (as feparating us Gentiles from the
]ews, and fo excluding us out of Gods Viable Church,) and nail-
ing it. to his Crofs. From whence he the re infers, 16. Let no
man Therefore judge you in meat or drink, or inrejpeff of a holy-day
( aFeftival) or of Sabbaths, (the proper name, at that time, of
the J eveni 'b* day Sabbath : ) which things are a Jbadow of things to
come, but the body is of Chrift ; the(e being but fiadows. or empty
things, whereas it is the body, (the Subflance) that Chrift regards
« & cx/V nK fxt^rr^, ii '6 °*u* v*.x*rf, thofe are bm Jbadow,but
'tis the Body that Chrift looks at. That is, ( in our language )
thofe are only Circumftantials, but 'tis fubftance orzhtSubftantials
of Religion that Chrift and Cbnftianity refpe&s. And, as it is
meerly Circumftantial ( and doth, not at all influence Religion)
whether in the Tmpleoi Qther platcGod be\vorfhiped [Joh^xi.)
So, whether on this or another day, a Sabbath be kep^ J \ ^ \
If therefore thofe Sabbaths ( as is {]>ewcd) were diftinftive
c?Iarks ov Signs of Gods peculiar Covenant or Contract with the
Church of Ifrael as their peculiar God, in contradiflin&ion to
other Nations \ then 'tis manifeft tha^ thofe other Nations did
not at all keep a fabbath, or not on thai Day ; (elfe how could
this be a diftinftive Mark?) andtherefofe to bring this now upon
the Gentile, was to bring upon them a Hew Tote.
I add furtl\pr, that this Jewifb Sabbath (as is (hewed before)
feems to be, not a Continuation of a fanner Sabbath from the
Creation, (which I'dovbtwas either not obferved at all, pjr had
M^':^ V % \ t long
rtlv The Christian Sarbath. 6i
g before this time been forgot,) but rather a New Inftitution
jcltitution after their coming out of Egypt (from a new Epocha]
v ' a G ° d is faid 10 haVe ma *' a Statnte and an °rdi-
™Uki V' 10 Commandment and Statute if they
i% rr n ™h cntl y and &h *m f he would not bring upon them
f Dtjeajes which he had brought upon £gypr, For ( faith he ) lam
c Lord that healeth *bee> ver. 26. Whereupon follows (in the
ptCr ^ *J abbath t0 be obferved on the feventb-day i\om
.ftrft raining of Manna, (not from the firft Creation.") And
th reference to their ^or tf/^
^^^^^^iiiKritbornof the Egyptians were flainJVor
.frith, Exod. 3 1. 1 3. My Sabbath JbaUye keep, for it is a Sign
fyveume and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth
ifyyou (or leparate you to my felf as a peculiar people, a
y people;) and ver. 16,1-7. The Children of Ifrael fall keep
Sabbath (aiCUvt) for a Perpetual Covenant; ft is a Sign be-
ep Ale and the Children of Ifrael for ever ; for infix days the
d made Heaven and Earth, and on the Seventh Day he Refted
\ipas Refrefbed. Not that God was Wearied with his Work*
and needed Refreflimcnt ; but he doth parallel his Reft after his
m&k of Creation, with their Refiefhment after their Labour
to
1 And that God had a particular refpeft to their Reft and Rcfrefh-
merit from their Labour and Bondage in Egypt; is farther evident,
*ot onely from the General 'Preface to all the Commandments, (/
WW the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt;
Mt of the houfe of Bondage;) but from the Clofe of this Fourth
■pmandment, as it is repeated in 2)cut, y. 12, 13, 14, 15. (forae-
Miat different from what is in Exod. 20. ) where, ( inllead of For,
t*fix days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, &c. Exod. 20. 11. )
1 We have ( ( Dtut. 5*. 1 And remember that thou wafl a fervant iti
iwe land of Egypt \ and thai the Lord thy God brought thee out thence,
Wrough a mighty hand, and ftr etched out atm ; therefore the Lord
Vhy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day. Which (hews.
Mat this Sabbath, h id a particular refpeft to that deliverance.
Efr'Now as God by Mofes dj*!, upon a New occafion ( ot their Re/t
Krom their Labour in Egypf\) give a New Epochaor Beginning to a
[Circulation 6f Sabbaths, to be reckoned from thence, in imitation
W his own Reftjng from the Work of Creation; Not by the Fourth
Boramandment (tor 4hat fpeaks indifferently as to any Circula-
ton,) but by this Ordinan:e. at Mar ah, or at Elim (for 'tis this,
. ^ * % dCr
6x The Christian Sabbath. Parti
determines the Circulation to the feventh day after the raining
of Manna;) So might Chrift as well (by himfelfor his Apoftles)
fix another Epoch* f rom his RefurreSion ; (as we have reafon to
think he did ; ) and this Equally within the profpeft of the Fourth
Commandment. This Rejt from the Egyptian Bondage being as
much a fbadow, of what Chrift regards as the fubftanee; as was
the efcaping of the Egyptian 2)eftru&ion, ot which the Pafs-mer
was the Memorial, And accordingly this Circulation equally to
ceafc with that of the Pafs-over, at the coming of Chnft; not-
A^^Circura^dh^ffeffl^aRGtirf %ISB tb Commandment, in a
prejlyfaid that Chnft Bid his Jptflks fo-to do V 88t W^JA:
prciumed to do what he did by Gods dire&ion ; fo the sfpoftles by
Chrtfts dire&ion ; to whom he gave Commandments for that pur-
pofe, AS. i. 2, 3.
As to what he lays fo often ; that not one JottotTittle of the Law
(meaning that of the Decalogue ) is dejiroyed, but doth ftill con-
tinue in force : This, as to the fttbftance of the Duty } I -grant
But if his meaning be, that there is not a Word or Letter there*
in which doth not as literally belong to Us Now, as it did Then
to Jfrael: I cannot aflent to it. For it cannot be faid of all Us
who are under that Law, that God hath Brought us cut of the land
of Egypt, out of thehoufe of Bondage; or that We are to expc#
long ltfe > m the land (of Canaan ) which he Gave Them*
If he fav that our deliverance from jpiritual bondage is equiva-
lent to theirs from Egypt, and our land the fame to us as Canaan
was to them : I grant it. But fo is our Lords Day equivalent to
their Seventh-day fabbath, and Chrift the true Mama (more than)
equivalent to that of theirs , from the raining of which they
reckoned their Jewijh Sabbaths.
As to what he fays of dMat.%^. io. Pray that jour flight be not
in the Winter 7 nor on the Sabbath-day ; which he thinks to be un«
derftood of the^«jt>//&Sabbath,38 years after Ch rifts Refurre&ion.
Perhaps it may. For the obftinate Jews, ( who would not in their
day underfiand the things thai belonged to their peace^ but reje&ed
Chrift,) did no doubt continue to oblerve their Jewilh Sabbath,
and thought themfelves obliged fo to do : And it would then be
as great an Affii&kn to them, as if their Sabbath were yet in
force : But - no more a Jin to fly on that day, than to fly in the
Winter. It would be fo to the Chrtftims, if put to Hight on th3
Chripan Sabbath (for the cafe would be the like of both) ami
they might as well Tray agatnjl it : That is, Againft their Flight
on
Parti The Christian Sabbath. 6%
on the Chilian Sabbath ; as the Jews on the Jewifh Sabbath*
This therefore makes nothing at all to his purpole. He might as
well argue from hence, that it were a Jin to labour in Winter; as,
m the Jewijh Sabbath.
He hath many other little excurfions, as little to thepurpo^
with which I {hall not trouble my felf or you ; having fully an-
Iwered what feems to me to have any appearance of Argument.
But he takes great pleafure to expofe the Name of Sunday. Yet
do not find any more fond of ufingit, than he. Not, that he
ould be thought to like the Word, but becaufe he thinks it a
Reproach. If he do not like that name, he may call it as we do.
the Lords "Day, the Chriftian Sabbath^ or (if he thftnk thefe too good
names for it ) he may call it the Fnft day of the Week.
But why not as angry with the ^Monday i or other of the Week
days? If on ^Monday the Heathens (as he would have us think)
did worfinp iherJMoon, as the Sun on Sundays-why is he not a*
angry with that? It is as much Idolatry to worfhip the Moon on
Monday, as the Sun on Sunday, True, But that doth not con-
cern the Chrijlians Sabbath ( which is what he hath I mind to rc~
5 fc aroach) and therefore he fpeaks Httle.of the other, and but fei-
ome : But Sunday is to be lnitbbed upon every occafion.
V He would not have a Sabbath upon Sunday, becaufe he fays, on
£hat day they worfhiped the Sun. But why upon Saturday if on
vthat day ( as he would have us think ) they worfhiped Saturn?
^ Now 'tis true that fomeof the Heathen did worfhip the Swt 7
•and the Moon, said the Hoftof Heaven. But? that they did wor-
ship the Sun more upon Sunday, than they did upon ^Monday or
&uefday, is more than I know, or he can prove. He tells us, V sr-
Hegan fays, that the Heathen Saxons did fo. But Ferliegm is too
joungan Author to fettle this upon his own Authority ; unlefs he
can bring Vouchers for it more ancient thanhirofelt. It was, I
fuppofe, a Fanfy of Verftegan Then (as it is of our Author Now })
Sut I do not remember that he cites any Author ancienter than
himfelf And though fome others may fay the like ; Yet I look
upon it but as a plaufible conjefture,w'itho\xt any good foundation in
[ Hiftory. And even the Heathen Saxons are too late for his purpofe.
He tells us, /»88. The Heathen Nations long before Chrtfts Birth
did offer Sacrifice to the Sun, and worfhip it as a God upon Sunday.
His proof is from i 1. 16,17, * 8 - l J ^ beheld the Sun when it
Jbined, or the Moon walking in kightnefs, and my heart hath been J e-
Ycrctty enticed, or my wouthhath ki/Jed my hand, this 'were an in/futty
I to be punijhed by the Judges J'or If mid have denied the Lord above.
I * But
Digitized by the
jdventist Resear<
fa The Christian Sabbath. Part i
But what is all this to Sunday ? It may perhaps be a difclaimer
of worjhiping the Sun; but fays nothing of Sunday.
Doth our Author think the uame of Sunday to be as old as
Job's time ? li job had faid, If I have worfhiped the Sun upon
Sunday or the Mom upon Monday, and not the Lordupm Saturday;
it had been to his purpofe : iiut here is nothing o\ that. Not a
word of what day it was on which they worfhiped the Sun.
But I would not have him lay too great a load upon Sunday. For
Hefiodtt\k us (as was faid before) that in his time (one of the
oldeft of the Heathen Writers; though younger than Job ) the
Seventh day was Sun-day, not the Fhji. And he fiadi nothing to
Ihew { more thanthe bare Name of Sunday j to make us believe
thatthofe of the Heathen, who worfhiped the Sun, did confine
that worfhip to this day of the Week ; or, Did more worftup it
on this day than on others.
I do not certainly know how Ancient thbfe Names are of Sa*
turday, Sunday^ Monday, &c, nor upon what occafion they were
firit taken up, ( nor is it much to our purpofe. )
The molt ancient Heathen Writer whom I know to have men-
tioned them is Z)io Caffius, who lived about the Year of our Lord
2jo.Who fpeakiug of the Definition of Jerufafem and the Tem*Ic t
tells us that the yews had fuch a reverence for Saturn s.day,
as that they would not Labour on that day for their Defenfe ;
which the Romans understanding, did on that day aifault thenr
and prevailed. (Againft their Temple zn&Sabbath both at once.) Not
as if the^raf did then call it Saturn s day, ( nor am I fure that any
other did then fo call it,)fbr they called it thcuSabbath-dzy ; But it
was that day of theWeek whicb,in c Dio% time,was called Saturday.
But Dio fpeaks of it. as a new Thing fb to call the Days of the
Week, and which the Ancient Greeks (he tells us) knew not.
('Twas therefore not very Ancient. ) And therefore he fuppofeth
the Romans to have taken it up from the Egyptians. Not the'Old
Egyptians of Mo/ess time, but rather from thofe about the time
of Ttolomy; not of King Ttolomy, but of Claudius Ptokmarus the
Aftronomer ( or perhaps fomewhat earlier ) when Aflronomy
there flourilhed, and from whom the Rmans had it.
In a Chnitian Writer, I find it earlier than.Z)/*; in JuBin
dflfartyr's Apology, written about the Year of Chrifl ijo. who
mentions ?S M* «p«f*r 9 the Day of the Sun, as the Chrtftian Sab-
hath. And Tertuftian in his Apology, mentions Saturday and Sun.
day. And it may perhaps be found in Writers earlier than thefe,
Though I do not at prefect meet with it. Nor do I think it
' worth
PartL The Christian Sabbath. 6$
worth the while to make any great fearch about ' it. I grant,
[that tthen Chriftianity was fpread among the Gentiles \ and,witli
fit, theChriftian Sabbath; they did (in order to the obfervmg
that Sabbath ) diainguifli their time intoWeeks ; and thereupon
Uve Names to each Day. I grant alfo that the Jews did, beloi e,
To diltinguilh their Time : but I do not find that any other Na-
tion didTo. If any think, that All nations did ftf ddhnguifh, and
everv Nation, all the World over, call the days by thote Names
£y w'hich they are now called : This I take to be but a Trtfump-
\thn, without proof ; i llL^t
} But whenever thofe names wcrefirlt taken up, I do not tnuiK
! they were taken from: the number of their Gods (for then tliey
mutt have had a great many moredays in their WeekthaTibeven,
Lf each of their Gods mult have a peculiar day : ) But Jro™ tnc
number of the planets, which were then reckoned to btf«*g
' and in this order Saturn,. Jupiter, tfiars, Sol, renus,^rcwy,
Luna Though we now know the Planets to be more than beven .
i f For the Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn are as much ft™**
out Moon; but were not then known.) Nor were
['Planets always reckoned in the fame order ; .-but to had been
thoimht to be above the Sun, which, before thefe name r* ere
accounted to be Urk And I therefore theft Name.
. muft be at leaft fo late. And certamly not fo o.d as %* > time.
F I take them not to *e older than what are called
\ Horns, but to take their.Rife from thence, and ^^ggj
* 'Names to be thence determined. For having divided the Day into
Ll Hours- Beginning with Saturn, the highefl ot the nanets,
-Se?Xned?dhimL
S 5 J«ms day , the Second hour tc ^^^^
and fo m order till they came to the Eighth hour which faUs to
Saturn's turn again, and lo again to the Fifteenth, and ™ e JgJ
a^T^ and then, he Three and Twentieth to Jupitr
Jhe Four and Twentieth to Mars, and the next hour, being the
proceeding^the Eighth^ itteentn,ana 1 *
fhat day will faU again to Sol, the Three and Twe J^fJ
the Four and Twentieth to -Mercury; and then the tirlt hour 01
thenex daft thence calle^W^ (next after hunjay.)
ot the next to Mercury ; thenextto W«r; t he* ^Jgj
and then again,to ^m; and fo onward as kfore. ****J*
ventist Research
66 The Christian Sabbath. PartL
take to be the true account of thofe Names, and in that Order :
Saturday, Sunday Monday after which (in 'the Latine Denomi
nation ) follow the days of Mm, Mercury, Jupiter, and Ferns.
Butfomc of ourAnceftors the Saxons^ thought' fit ( as is flip .
pofed) to put in the Names of Twifco, Woden^Tkr, tie* I fome
of their Princes) mfteadof MarsMmury, 7up t ter\,adFenus
as Juhus^Auguftm, amongftthe Romans, gave'their Names
to the Months formerly called ^jntilis and Senilis.) From which
Saxon Pnuces we have the Names ofTuefday^ednfdayfkurfday
ft/ )y t( : S* °[ hcrd T , rctain ' n S ^the Names oftl5T
fpective Planets as they did before.
This account ( from the order of the Planetary Hours) 2>h
gives us of the Names of the Week-days, and of their Order
Why fo called, and why in this Order.
He tells us of another account from the Princinle* nf r nL.
Concord in Mufick; therefore they might, beginning S
Sofn^SV^^r 3nd f ^^he 8 Fourth^ j then
(pipping the two next Fenus and Mercury) take &»« ■ and then
(skipping and Jupiter) take S3?; ThX.ppinS
Jupiter Then (skippmg^r/ and A/) take *3«»3 Then
A?/« J Which" A? f CmS r m T 10d thc former "ore
dift« r b,he Order.) And therefore, cerLly JWjE
P m a t ? 'i [ any ff<w!f ' 1 cannot % ; "or do I think it
Nor do I think that each of thofe W&s have any more ft
Ions people, and thereby to make * GaTn of tTem " CdlN
; , But,
Parti. The Christian Sabbath. 67
But, whatever were the occafion of the firft impofing; thefc
are now the known Names of thofe days. ( And we need no more
fcruplethe ufeof thefe iV*««; than to talk of Pope Pius, Cle-
I mens, Boniface, and Innocent; though poffibly the Perfons fo called,
f had none of thofe good Qualities.) In like manner as we have a
!' Spring near Oxford which we cz\\AriJhtle\fFell; not that we
I think Arijlotk was ever there, or was Lord of the place, and
much lefs that he was wont to be there fForJbiped '; but we lb call
I it as being now thc proper name of the place {impofed at pleafure)
by which it is known. And fo for the days of the Week ; whatever
were the occafion of the firft impofing, they nowlignify no more
than the proper diftinftive names by which the days are known.
.„ And why we may not continue fo to call them, I know not. We
he reafon why ,tw« (o called (whether, becaufc Jtow had been
> I 5£j r £ff pother reafon.). And Ail. i8 n. of
J . %> defigned by Cajlor and Pollux, or without fcrupline
the reafon of. that name, or what relation thefe Stars had to 7«-
piter, fo as to be called bis Lads. And when Paul t Cor.%. allows
them without Scruple to eat of things offered m Sacrifice to Idols,
even though they knew, or had reafon to prcfume tfiem fo to be
fin W J en . the X, might be fuf P e ^d to do it with refpeft to the
Moll as the Apoftle argues at large i Cor. 8. and again Chap. to.
. No doubt we may as lawfully make ufe of proper Names (whereby
perions, times or places be commonly known) without fcrupiin?
the occafion ot their firft impofition.
I , AndI wo " ld d< ! fire thofe Gentlemen (who are fo over fcrupu-
ous where there is no luft occafion, and make it their bufinefs to
' rj r S . cn, P ks and cafl Stumbling-blocks before others,) to con-
fer Ibnoufly, whofe Work they be doing all that whilejand whe-
ther it be not as truly and properly fuperftition to reprefem and
quaiel with things as unlawful and finful, which in their own
toKure are not fo; as it is to introduce things under a pretence
( ot holmefs which have in them no f«ch thing. And whether this
be not to dote about fuejiions and Brife of words: Whether thefe
he not of thofe ftolifh and unlearned oueftions which we are ad-
vifedto avoid; k&owmgtbat they gender ftrifes ; and to avoid foolifh
fut/hons, and genealogies and contentions about the lava, for they are
^profitable andvain ; and inftead thereof to mind thole things that
Xtgood and profitable to men; to follow righteoufnefs, faith, charity
peace, &c. as wc are directed, I Tim. 6.d.,y. 2 Tim. 2 xi, •»•>
7 "-3-8,p. It They
ipj:
{
68 The Christian Sabbath, Parti
They do not confider how much the ftudying and profecuting
foolift queftions, and needlefs Scrupulofities, doth eat out the
power of Godlinejs and true Piety , and the Jubftantials of Religion,
while we btify ourfelves about thefe^Waie/j ; about YxvUtciwum-
fiances which do not at all influence the Subflance of fpiritual
Worfhip,
There be fb many nece/Jary duties, and indubitable truths, in the
ferious pra&ifeof Titty and Godlinefs, that we need not trouble
the heads of men (and make it our buunefs to to do) with doubt-
ful deputations*
It feems to be thedefign of the New Teftament to take us off
from the Circumftantials and Scrupuhfitits of Religion (which
commonly produce ftrifej and contentions to no purpofe ) and put
US upon worfbipwg G*^ *** Qf***?. ** ,¥wJ **r ^
Si c Deus eft Animus, nobis ut carmina dkunt,
Hie tibipr<ecipue fit pur a Mente colendus 7
Was well enough faid of the Poet 5 and is a good Paraphrafe on
that, God is a Spirit and will be worfhiped in Spirit and m Truth.
I have been told long fince of a Grave Divine, who when asked,
Why he did not Preach againft Long hair (whicfr was at that time
more Offenfive than now it is,) gave this Anfwer ; if he could but
Preach Jefus Chrilt into their Hearts ; he fliould not much con-
cern himfelf for their Hair.
This Author tells us, p. ^ thai our Liberty Gal, p 1 , doth emu
nently confift in a freedome not onely from the Ceremonial Law of oid y
but alfo in a Liberty not to be intangled with anew yoke of mens de-
vices. I take needlefs Scrupulq/ities to be fuch ; the making of more
Sms than God hath made \ the making or pretending of thofe
things to be Sins which are no fins, and putting a reUgious Nt-
cefftty upon things which are matters of meer Prudence and T>if
cretton. Like thofe 1 Tim.^ 3. Forbidding to Marry, or (as I
would rather render it) Bidding not to Marry ; and 7 to abftam from
MeatsMc. Forbidding things as Unlawful which are not fo ; is
alike Superfluous as to Impofe things as holy which are not Holy :
and equally contrary to the Liberty there intended.
Whether the days be called Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Aph&,
Beta^GammOj is ail. one to me, (I take them as T find them;) 1
thin* we ought not td foment quarels upon fuch trifles ; and we
fin if we do fa ; " J
Whether to meet once, or twice, or thrice, on a Sabbath-day, (i*
fo as is molt for edification and the real fervice of God ? )is meerly
pt*
Parti TheCHRisTi an Sabbath. 69
prudential inthisor that P^™^^^
Lju wVre God leaver it to Prudence. And it, m fruaemtau,
^ o^fotneti^ wnh fo much Prudence aswe
•J nftliev miaht we mull be content to bear with fuch Impru-
EtCftnoI help; and better fo, than to pull-on greater
,n Xrr n to begin the Sabbathat & orTenorTwelve a Clock
, wnetnertoocgi ? h conten( w
» SM ^"fe3 Z a S totheSubfknuglso?
mhiM,wb«braJ<\/!is£a much more, »hertietw> It'sn Ib't
'A fo cheetah b. well kept: ^.S^jTffiS
V£ accent, give f^«"£","sK
w hich the Scripture would have ™£$ atk if 0 i fpiritual
they m but mifcbievoxs m then uje „ , f hadittg thc i r
r ie complain of ^^^^SL«^ SAfti
Worlhip with "en thought they
I the number of which would **™tte%£ fawn* trom M 7
[ were Tolerable, Being fo ma ny £> ^ oi .
tendmgthe/^W^of he S ^ ^.J^r w be fpoken
„ for it. For when much of their 1* s °" 01 be w „^ r .
fo Am as not to be Heard, or in fuch a UW not
Digitized by the C|
dventist Research
7o The Christian Sabsath. Parti
flood, they have need of fomewhat to frradfV *w* x. u
Ear is not Edified, S y W whcn th «
confider it t * L iamr y x ? e Gentleman if he well
thing
PartL The Christian Sabbath. 71
thing can be faid fo plain, as that there be nothing to be cavilled
It, by one who is minded fo-to do ; And that when God hath de-
[ttared his Will as plainly as he thinks fit to do, if men will not be
tomented with realonable evidence, he is not obliged to gratify (
their humours.
r When {I fay ) we confider this ; It looks fomewhat like what
plomon tells ns Trov. 18. 19. of a Brother offing harder to be
Won than a ftnng City; and I mult leave the fnccefs to God,
who fo tcachcth as none like him.
I He remits us to two Writers on this Sub jeft, in defenfe of the
Chriftian Sabbath, Mr. Shepbeard and Mr. Hughs (whom I have
not read, nor have them at hand,) and Two others whom he
tames not (nor know I well whom he means, for more than
two have fince written ;) who, he thinks, do tacitly retraft fome-
what that thofe before had granted. And divers others have
written on this Subjeft, tho' I have fcarce confulted any of them,
And particularly I have not feen what is written by Dr. Young
*r Mr. Wmren, whom I find cited in a late Book of <?. T. which
Wme out fince this was Written and part of it Printed. It is very
poflible, that fome of thofe may have faid much of what I now
or that I may now lay fomewhat of what they have faid be-
fcie. But, in this, there is no hurt. If in fome particulars I vary
&om fome of them, it is not becaufe I flight them, or out of a
defire to contradift them, but freely to fpeak my own thoughts
u they do theirs. Nor is it to be expefted that all Writers on the
fame Subjeft Ihould agree in every particular, (Nor is he to make
advantage of it; For p. 3. he owns it is fo alfo with thofe who arc
fir the [event h-day :) But as to the main (I prcfumc) we do well,
enough agree.
> I have been a great deal longer than I did intend when I firfi
began to write.
I (hail give you a brief Summe of what Ihave faid to this pun-
pofe, as to both Queftions. (For the Queftion is double, though.
« feem to be but one.)
Firft concerning the Jewifh Sabbat % Whether that be Anti-
quated and at an end. Secondly, concerning the Chriftian Sabbath,
Whether there be fufficient ground for this to fueceed in the
place thereof.
As to the firft; I agree with him in many things which he
profecmes at large, though not peculiar to his Queftion; As,.
That Our Lordjfefus Chrift is God; that he is the Lord Jehovah,
the God who made tkJVorld } who refted the J "event hday, who
7x The Christian Sabbath, Parti
brought Ifrael out of Egypt, and gave the Law on Mount Sinai:
For there is no other God.
But, this I fay, he did as God ( in Union with the Father and
Holy Ghoft;) not zsChrift (God and Man) our Mediator and Re-
dcemtr. For he was not then Man; nor was there occafionof a
Mediator and Redeemer before the Fall.
I agree alfo that the Decalogue (or Ten Commandments) is
Obligatory to us Gentiles; (as being for the fubftance of it, a
Law before it was fo delivered on Mount Sinai:) And that the
Fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath is one of them ;
which requires after fix days of Labour, thtfeventh day to be a
Sabbath or day of Holy fieft. And our Christian Sabbath is fuch.
^5ut it doth not fay, the f event h in courfe from the Creation^ nor
doth it appear that the Jewif/j Sabbath was fuch, but rather the
Seventh day from the fir ft raining of Manna,
I do agree alfo that God himjelf did reft on the Seventh day
from the Creation, Gen, z. that is, he did ceafc to Create.
But I do not there find, that Man .did fo reft, or that there was
any expre/s command fox him fo to do on that day ; much left for
ever after, on every Seventh day in courfe from the Creation.
How much may be thought to be implyed in thofe words, he
bkjjedand fan&tfied it, I will not difpute ; However, it is but by
Implication not by any exprefi command ; fuch as our- Author de-
mands for the Ghriftian Sabbath.
- Nor do I find that ever it was obferved by xJMan till after the
Israelites coming out of Egypt, or exprejly commanded to to be.
Nor do I find that any other Nation (befide the Jews) did anci-
ently fo much as divide their time byfFeets. Since the times of
Chriltianity they have: But that they didfo, long before that
time, I do not find,
>v/ I do agree alfo that after Ifraels coming out Egypt they did
obferve a Sabbath, Exod i6>
But it was from a new command , (at Mar ah or Elim) which
appeared New to them, not a continuation of a conftant praftife ;
and it was from a new beginning (the Seventh day from the firft
raining of \Manna,) and as a dtftinHivefign or to{en 7 of Gods be-
ing their GWin a fcecial manner, as contradiftinguifhedto.other
nations ; ( as himfelf owns p. z6. and 28. ) and as a memorial of
their Reftefhmg after their Bondage and Labour in Fgypt, and
feeding them with Bread from Heaven.
I do prefume alfo that, they did, from this firft raining of
Manna continue a circulation of Weeks for a long time, and per-
haps till the time of our Saviour. Yet
Part I. The Christian Sabbath. 73
Yet we are not furebut that it might be intermitted in thefevetity
years of the Babyhnifh Captivity, and the day forgotten ; and then re*
flored a-new by Nehetmah (from a new beginning) Neb.- 1 as he
rcftored the Feaft of Tabernacles (Chap. 8.) which had been inter-
mitted from the days of Jojhua the fm of Nun t6 that day. But I
lather think, the memory was preferved {by Tradition) during
thofe /event/ years.
lagree alfo that the Church of the Jews was the mojt vifiblc
Church of God, but I am loth to fay (with him,/>. 79 . ) it was the
whole vtjible Church; Fori prefume there might be many Good men
of other Nations, who worfhiped the true God (of whom we have
no Hiftory,) though not joined to the Jewifli Church, nor were
( that I know of) obliged io to be. Such was Melcbizedek (whoever
he were) not of the feed of Abraham, much lels of Ifrael. And luch
was%£, and his Friends from divers Countries (of whom, were it
not tor the ftory of Job, we fhould have had no knowledge,) nor
are we to think thefe were the mely perfons of thofe Countries who
'worfhiped the true God. And how many fuch were m other Na-
tions, we cannot tell. Who might, if they had opportunity join as
Trofefites with the Jewrfh Church, when efhbWhcd. But I do not
think they were nccejjkrily obliged fo to do, or to keep the>w*
Sabbath with them. . , .
For I take it to be true, even before Chnfts coming, that Uod is
m refpeBer of perfons; but in evety nation, he that feareth htm and
worhetb righteoulmfh is mf*** him. A& 10- 34, 35- »w-
' tier Jew of Greek, Rom. 2. 10,11. iPcl m> Which are but Quo-
1 tationsfrom 2>euL 10- 19. ' r .
Nor do I find that any Nation, except the Jews, did obferve the
Jewifh Sabbath. But I rather take it to be a difimffwe fign ot them
from other Nations, Ex. zsCircumcijtonmd thtPtfs-over
were: which, when the wall of partition was taken a way,cea fed alio.
Yet, as to what was Moral in them (the Cmumcfon of the heart,
being pointed at by that of the Flejb; and the old leaven ofmaUce
and wickednefs to be put away mltead 0 that ot Bread; and ^
from Sin of more refpeft with God than that from Labour ; ) we ; b;tve
infiead thereof, Baptifm, * ^ ™ om of /f rfj
Supper, in the roolof the Tafs^er ; and the Lords Day or CAr ;
Jiidn Sabbath, infteadof the Jewifh And, as that took date from
the raining of after their deliverance itomEgypt; foourt
from the Refurrellion of CbriB, the true Manna.
I aeree alfo that the ApoffoM other Chnftrans^n after Chnft s
Refurreftion, did go co the Temple and the Je wiOi Synagogues on their
K
entist Research
7+ The Christian Sabbath. Parti
(and did there affift at Prayers, and Reding the Law,
count as when we now meet to hear a Sermon, or keep a FA or
Thank fgtvmg on a Weekday, * P ^
nZhbZt Tmoih ?> and P'wA in ^e ]ewi(h Rites of
fm/icalm Ail x i. on -account of thofe believing jews who were
fKfc h ° fc * ho ^dhcdid teach *>w.«iM*||W
t/Lrl/J tQ M*ts ™" that they mt to drameife
fefe^ F"^tf?'kpfi«"i- Whereas iadSTK
whfrh l ffrt,/,fo ou 8 ntfoto forbear, (as being a wwwlf to
Z /f^ 01 ^^ WCre not fllb i e£l >) but as to the J&, were
among the GenttUshe did allow them ( if not yet fiSfedof
twe« iL r C ? f ° *f B ? a S For nC P uts a 8 reat Terence be
fj »ofS^V h0r d ° thn0t « ke "otice r e ire he would noTfellu
nd wis 1 mt r ^'"S^praflijing wther. He preached
and wrote againft Circumcifion i ^ to the but allowed it to
,?rV "? hln,feIf P raaifed "> A S to7V«^(a Jew) hut" t
w/j S #° wa / !" And the likc we may Vav as to £
Jewp Sabbath m their Seventh day
JSri^iSn!?" heha i h tour 8 e ' f°"he>^ Sabbath in
f but ra IVr r * u h hC C3nnot fc™. 10 be ominanded to rf/fc mrU
he W„rH i the ? in E*™ 1 " ln contradiftinaion to the reft of
5 „«rhi«L ?f M , MM ' For thc Foi)rtI > Commandment
^MPr"^* 10 dtcr tht ^th-day Sabbath in.
fZc.IZ UYd V U l Chr $ ' 1 doubt h * ha£h r ° r S°«™ that the
•SSSrfJ ; f VC ^ eLawof the Ten Commandments^, alfothe
oJeTSSv'^'^^i* Were theL <» d W«sCbriJl who gave the
vt th« other alfo. And U he then J ^
« tf flip* abolijl, drcumcifion and the reft of the Mofaick Rites.
• A infti.
Parti The Christian Sabbath. • ft
i*flitutcd}y the Lord Jefus Cbrijif I know no fuch power recorded i»
Scripture to hegiven^i to Cinumci/ion and the reft,more than as to the
fewijb Sabbath. And we find them both put together Col 1. 1 1, 16
Or will he fay, Where is any Power recorded in Scripture to be given
to any Man or Men, {after Chrift had/aid It is finified,) to appoint
Elders and Deacons and other Officers in the Chriftian Church, and
give Orders concerning it, which Chrift (before he fo faid,) had not
given? Yet we know Circumcifion was aboltfhed, and fuch Ojjkert
and Orders given. So that all this is but Flourifli.
1 1 As to that of Chrift having faid // it finijhed; whatever be meant
by that, we know that the whole Order and Conftitution of the
Chnftian Church was fetled alter that time : And whatever elfe be
fignified by it, it is not meant that there was nothing to be done fur-
ther concerning it ; For, if fo, to what purpofe did Ohnbgive Com.
mandments to his Jpo/iles, of things pertaining to the Kingdome of God
alter his Refurreihon, if nothing were to be further done?
And if weconGder the Apoftlcs deportment; We do not find them
any where infift Authoritatively 'upon a Power given them from Chrift,
to Abrogate Circumcifion or the like, and thereupon to proceed pro im-
feno. But they argue it from the nature of the thing, That what>
was Typical of Chrift, was at an end now Chrift is come ; That what
was DiJiinHive of the Jews from other Nations, was now to ceafe
when the partition wall was broken down ; That:what were but Jba~
Jews as to the Subjidntmh of Religion, were now to pafs away, as
kggarfy Rudiments, Chrift regarding the Body or Sub/lance not the
Shadows ; I &h ma <%! yLttt,*trvi) thefe arc but Jbadows in companion
of what Chrift came to fettle, ri 3 <&pu, & x*<r*, but 'tis the Body (thc
Subftance) that Chrift refpeffs y Col 2. 17.
They do not command but argue They do no where pretend
that God or Chrift had given them Authority to Abrogate a Lav*
which God had made ; But Arj^ue (from the nature of the thing) that
the Law ivas cea/ed; and was not intended to Oblige longer: That
the Law was now Antiquated or Expired when the End for which
it was made was attained : That the Types were at an End, when
the Thing Typified wis Exhibited : That the 2)i/tinffive Marts were
now no more of Ufc ? when Jews and Gentiles were United: That
the Elements ox Rudiments which God (for reafonsbeft
^nown to himfelf) thought fit for the Training up of his Church
while in a State of Minority ( wherein aChild though Heir of All
doth little differ from a Servant ) fliould now ceafe when it comes to
full Age, Gal. 4, And to the fame purpofe Heb.%. He argues that
the Old Covenant was at an end when a better Covenant was come ia
Kx the
Kclventist Research
*j6 The Christian Sabbath* part I
the room ; citing that of Jet. 3 r. Behold the days come, faith tht
Lord, when IvotHmakga New Covenant with the houfe »f Ifradand
Uvitb the houfe ofjudah : Not according to the Covenant 'which I made
with their Fathers when I led them out of the land of Egypt \ For this
is the Covenant that I will make, That / wiS put my laws into their
Mind, andwrite them in their Hearts. Meaning, inftead of an out-
ward Ceremonial Service, he would eftablilh a fervice more Spiri-
tual, From whence he concludes the Attiqmtion oS. the Former:
In that he faith a New Covenant, he hath made the firft Old: Now
that which Decaf eth and waxeth Old, is ready to Fanifh away (or, to
expire. ) They do not claim a ?ower 7 to Abolifh a Law of Gods making;
But prove by Argument^ that thefe Laws are Antiquated 'or Expired;
as not being intended, by the Law-make r,to bind longer than till fuch
a time. As Mom. 7, The tVoman is htmd by the Law to her Husband
as Ung as he lives ; But rf the husband be Z>ead } fhe is free from the
Law : Not that the Law rs Aboltjbed; but the Cafe is Altered,
And it is from thefe Confiderations that he Argue s againfl C/r-
cumcifion Col. 2, n. and the Jmifh Sabbat h 7 ver. 16. For as to the
Subjiantials of the Service, provided a Sabbath be duly kept, it is
4nuch one whether on the Seventh or the Firft day. Now thefe (Sub-
jftantials) arc (he tells us p. 83,) a lively fphritual Convcrfe with the
Father ; Son and Holy-Ghoft f in private Ttuties and pubhek Ordinances
(where they can be had y ) and in a Holy Refi all that day 7 faying emer*
gent cafes of Neceffity and Mercy. Which may be equally done
on either day.
But as to thofe who were Hot fatisfied with thefe Arguments; {if
they were fuch as were before under thofe Commands ) he doth not
urge his Authority; He leaves them to pnfufe according to their
own judgment (but without cenfiwing others ) till they fhall be better
fatisfied, as in Horn. 14. But as to the Gentiles^ who had never been
under thefe Laws, the cafe was otherwife. Which makes him
argue othenvife with the (Gentile ) Gaktians, Ephefims } and Co-
hffiansy than with the ChriUian Jews at Some.
And as to his Queftion, p. 47- When, where } andbywhom 7 it was
taken away, I fay Then } there, and by the fame, who took away Cir*
cumcifkn and the other Mofaick Rites. That is, Fundamentally by
Chrih at his death who nailed them to hisCrofs, after which they
ceafedto be Obligatory \ But Executively mA7>raffica£y by his A*
poftles, and the Chriftian Church, according as they did ( leifurably
and in time ) come to underfland their Liberty.
All which we are to prefume they did according to fuch directi-
ons as Chrift gave them. For ( as this Author obferves t>, 80,) ?W,
m
Parti The CHXisfiAN Sabbath. 77~
in thofe Primitive times } when the Ceremonial Law was frejh in
memory, and the Go/pel newly preached, had much a do to remove the
rfri? converted Jews from Circumcifion and other Ceremonials, {and fo
from their Jewifh Sabbath;) therefore thefe things were to wear
off by degrees, and not to be tornjrom them all at once.
! And this I think is enough { to a perfon not prejudiced) as to the
Removal of the (then) Jewifh Sabbath; appointed by Mofes after
their coming out of Egypt, on thtfeventh day from ^ firft raining
vf Manna, and not given to all the world, but to be a diftintiive Jign
of them from other Nations*
Now as to the other Point in QpeJhon, the Observation of the
Urds day : I would ground that originally on the Fourth Command,
pent ; which doth appoint a Seventh day of Holy ReJl, ^mStX days
of Ordinary labour. Which dothdireftly concern the Subjiantials
of Worfhip (that a Sabbath be kept and God thus ferved), but whe-
ther on this or that day of the Seven, is meerly Circumftanml and
. (as Taul calls it) a Shadow, in comparifon of the Body otSubjtance^
ffchichis, he tells us, what Chrift refpefts.
But then as to that, Why the Firft day rather than another ? I
anfwer, Firft, Here was a much more memorable Accident, ot t&rms
RefurreBion; than was that of Raining Manna, from whence thet
jewifh Sabbath takes its date, as the Seventh day from it { not troirf
the Creation) or that of the Quails the Night before, (the firft day
that God fed them by Miracle f rom Heaven,} And therefore fends as
fair for beginning Inch a Circulation of Weeks and Sabbaths-
We are told fir. ^ 14, if. aad#r.», %^f^fM
tome (faith the Lord) that ft fhall no ^e \faid T^ ^rd Itveth
* that brought up the Children of ffrael out of the land of Egypt .But,
The Lordlhetb that brought up the Children of IJrael out of the North
Country. Not, that the former deliverance was to be forgotten ; but
a greater than it did make it (comparatively) to difappear (as when
the light of the Sun doth obfeure that of theMoonand Stars ;} And
fohere, the Refuneffion of Chrift to be commemorated paramount
to that of former Mercies. - ■ „,j:j a „
Next, in purfuance of this Occafion, we find oor Savioiir did- on
that daj of his RefurreBion, appear to M^ Mfftn^ the other
Women, declaring to them the Doflrme of he Refur, earn then ^
the two Difciples going to Emmaus, Reaching to them gt large} the
fame Doftrzne, and Celebrating with them the Lords Supper ; and
?fer«rd theVame day) to thofe aflembled njerufalcm ( with other
Sabbatical works) arAlemnly Bleftng that Conj^ W
■ our Author by bleftng the Seventh day Geo. z. would have us untav
r entist Research
78 The Christian Sabbath. Parti
ftand I an I fitution or Cmmand to obferve it; We have as much here'
Chrift^in thisAflenibly, and For fo much is infi!
mated in that his UkanBamSBm ( a firft and fecond t£? %*
"? id fo a fecon ' 1 tirae on the fame day the next Week- he Afom
Iklmtl > them (in Religious Services) L ^WdS»" he *-
He did ( according to his Prormfc made on that firft day of his
Refunea.on) fend on them that miraculous Efu/ion <f]hc Hoi
Ghoft on the day of PentecoJ, which being.the Fiftieth day fromh J
tne Ktlnrrettion. On which day of Fentecoft we find them *lf 0
othcrwife exercifed in Religious Employments, and atteftcd further
by a miraculous couverfion of three thoufand fouls
hlJf find , r " Tml t^ rMS m 10 - ¥re ^ ^ the Difcip/es a/Tern-
\ i [ u U j & ? 18 their ^T 1 ' was > cn tbe W *f >f & week U
hreakjn ead ; that is, to celebrate the Lords Supper.
That (uch'Aflemblies were wont to be at Common them day of
theApomeprefumcs, or takes for granted ; and givefdi-
region for a CoUeclton to be then made, i Cor 16.
And he had done fo before, as he there lignifies , to the Churches of
Tl Vr l Tn$ or "^8 ^granted, that they alfo didfouFe
to meet on the firft day of the Week.
And we have no reafon to doubt but that fuch meetings were
r e n An°Jw^T Ch r rC t CS> r 7 C ^ nn0t doubt but th " other of
the Apofiles did difperfe themfelves into other parts of the World,
though we have not a like account of their Travels, as we have of
Pauh recorded by St. Luke: But we are to prefum'e (though it be
not recorded) that their Do^rine andPraaice was confonant to his
and that accordingly they had fuch weekly meetings on the Lord's
Day, as thefe Churcheshad of whom we have the Hiftory
Hence-that day had thename given of the Ijoris-day, wei „.i,
as we find it called M i.,o. (as that of the SacramenYi, called
.ft<™ the Lords Supper, iCor. u. zo .) which name it re-
taineth to this day, and for fuch purpofe.
And all this, I think, is fufficient for us to continue our Obferva-
f - 0n /£ t y ' , I amfHre ) is much ffl0re tna « he canfbew for
fefi^cESL* more ** tbmfattdJive bundre<i " m
■Jf-Z™ ncc f flir -V that : we have expreJS words of Command 'recorded:
% A, r a ° 5*7 *&*WH ^'*M*™>rds of Command
for the feventb-dy Sabbath, till after Ifraels coming out of Egypt
Christian Sabbath. 7p
Parti. T
tor for \\tJVorJhipingof God by Sacrifice ; nor for other things which
yet were Duties before any Record of fnch exprefs words of Com.
mad It is enough if we can otherwife collefl it to be God's Will
according to the belt light we have. '
If this Gentleman think himfelf obliged to keep the Tewiih Sak
bath alfo : this doth not hurt us. This, I think, was the cafe of the
Cbrifiian fern at firft. I do not much queftion but that they did, as
other Chriftians, obferve the Lord's Day. The doubt was, whether
they were not to obferve alfo theJewiih'Sabbath as before they did
And thefe Believers who were yet zealous of the Law, and thought
themfelves obliged, together with Cbriftianity, to obferye the Law of
Mofes, did no doubt think themfelves equally obliged to the Jewifh
Sabbath, Thole who thought themfelves obliged to be Baptized,ind
to be Cnamcijedalfo, thought themfelves in like manner obliged to
obferve the Lord's Day and alfo the Jewifh Sabbath. And (tilf they
mould be better fatisfied ) the Apoftles permit (the Jews) lo to do.
. If this do not fatisfy him ; I have yet two Expedients for him.
I- Let him begin his Wee^on Monday, and then Sunday will be
the Seventh-day. Whether the Seventh in courfe pom the Creation,
Kannot tell ; nor can any man living inform me. But it will at
leaft be the Seventh day of His Week.
2. If he be not fatisfied with this : My next Expedient is thus.
Let him take a Voyage round the World, as Sir Francis Drake did.
Going out of the Atlantick Ocean Weft-ward by the Streights of Ma-
pilau to the Eafi./ndies ; and then, from the Eaft, returning by the
tty? of Good Hope (the ufual way) homeward. And take with him
w many as pleale of thofe who are of his mind. And let them keep
«eir Saturday-fahbath all the way. When they come home to Eng-
*«, they will find their Saturday to fall upon our Sunday ; and they
Jfay thenceforth continue to oblerve their Saturday-fabbath on the
tone day with us. Which is the fecond Expedient.
, If you ask, How this can be? I will make it very plain, that
Jitwtf be, and fb it muj} be. For, Suppofing the Earth to be
*°und, and the Sun moving from Eaft to Welt; you muft allow
'wt n comes fooner to the Eaftern parts than to the Weftern. It
*ul fooner be Noon in Holland than in England, and fooner here
"Hn- in Ireland. j
. If you ask, How much fooner? We. fay, that fifteenDegrces of
Longitude Weft-ward, makes it an Htur 'later. As if he Embark
l ooiit Dover, Tai mouth, or other Port on the Eaft-fide of England,
N Sail a* tar Weft-ward as the Weft of Ireland for a little farther)
" will be an Hour later, and not be Koon there till it be One a clock
nor
The Christian Sa*bath. Part it Part I. The Christian Sabbat
80
at the place where he Embarked. And fo in proportion, an Hour for
every Fifteen degrees. And accordingly, when he hath cone round
the whole Circle of Three hundred and Sixty Degrees, (that is Four
and twenty times Fifteen,) it will be later by Four and twenty hours,
That is, it will be but Saturday-noon with him, when it is Sunday
noon with thofe who flaid here. That is, His Saturday will be Our
Sunday. And thenceforth his Saturday Sabbath will be the fame day
with our Sunday-Sabbath ever after. ^ » . 4 1
And this,I think,fhould fully fatisfy him. For he tells us,/>. jp. Tk I
variety of the time of the Sun-rtjing or fettiwg in different Climates doth I
no way difturb;for that a day longer or Jborter is ft ill a day, and but a day.
Molt certain it is he who (hall have thus failed round the World
will have had one day fewer than thofe who ftaid here. So it was
with Sir Francis Z>wfeand his Company : And fo it hath been with
all who have taken fuch a Voyage, (as many have done, lor it is noc
a rare cafe : ) and fo will be to any who (hall fo do.
What he would refolve upon this cafe, or what he thinks Sir
Francis Drake was to do when this happened ; I cannot tell.
If he would go on to reckon the dajrs according as they had hap
Eened to him in his Voyage ; then this Expedient rauft hilly fatistj
im. For then he keeps his Saturday. Sabbat b on our Sunday.
If he thinks the account fliould be*jre£Hfied when or before he
comes home, and call the days thenceforth as he finds thofe to do
that flaid here, what (hall be come of that day he hath loft? ad
which day of the Week {hall he reckon that to be ?
And, When muft he reftify that account? when he comes home^
fomewhere by the way ? For it would be juft the fame, if, before h«|
come at England, he fhould have landed in France or Spain, or on r
Coaft of yffriciyOT even at the Eaft- Indies ;and all the way from then*
he would ftill be a day behind them. And fo he would be with eve
Ship that in his way he fhould meet with. If he and fuch other Sh;
meet at the Ifle of St. Helens to take frefh water, his Saturday will U
their Sunday \ and on which of the two days are they to keep their
Sabbath ? or muft they keep it one on the one day, and the other pi
the other ?
If he fay that the account is to be rectified by the way (before
comes home) then Where ? or When ? and by What rule ? For wU,
ever he doth fo re&ify it, he muft then begin to call Sunday whw
jult before he was to call Saturday.
It he fay,This mufl be left to Difcretion, when,and where : Th<
muft it be matter of difcretion ( and not determin'd by the Four
Commandment) on which of the two days in qucftion the 0
ftiall be kept.
le aabw
1
! ?£L here w,lla 8 ain C6me ^ our amazing ctf&fas p aS
86, 87. What man or men, without an high UfurfyBTthT'I>tvine
Author,^ contrary to the Fnjt Cmmmu^tibM^ t %£jZl
intent tons, affume an authority of their own hea\ Xfnt (or \ h S or
\^i A S ft t/rf m °>- *2' mr Chriji, that is Lord %
^the Sabbath h«h power totnMute a Sabbitiday? If the Church or at
Si feW t mi * Door > t0 iee t U fi- toti* » <*pon the
f t ft n ° fC ^ "tefMnrPW'tl We in Tower t ■
I i lhil [not much trouble myself to anfwer all this Warmth. But
when that is over) if at or near the Streights of Magellan (a place, I
. Aink not inhabited or not by Chriftianf) a Colony be planted by
feme frora hence, and feme from the Eaft-Indies; tiofe who comJ
thither from hence will ( according to their account ) call that Satur-
which thofe who come thither from the other fide will (accor-
ding to their account) call Sunday: Muft they have no Sabbath
w an t (that s agamic the Fourth Commandment : ) Or muft they bv
.confent agree upon the day ? ( this I fhould think, if he would give
»c leave :) Or muft they keep it fome upon one day fome on the other>
lJus I would by no means advife, if it may be avoided: Becaufc it
iwould beamanifeft confufion and diforder; And they would not
mh (it either ) be the Seventhly in courfc from the Creation • And
.""J. 01 Means fo, is not polfible for any man to know. And it
would be more for common Edification that they do agree upona com-
*on day. And not much nutter, whether of the Two.
Th is Gentleman, if he can confider of it calmly, I am apt to think
II bcoi the fame mind ; and think it better to have fush a Sabbath
in none at all ; and that the little circumftance, whether on this or
« day, fhould be difregarded in comparifon of the StMantials o*
' Duty.
Tiere be* many things which the Word of Godot the 2>hme Law
* determine in Tbejt, which when in Hypothec they come in pra-
fe, will require the intervention oi'Trudentialsor Humane Laws.
ie Eighth Commandment fays,I muft not Stea^ox take unduly from
I Neighbour what is His: But, What is Mine, and what is my
ighbours, will depend much upon Humane Laws ; and, what fhall
**puteda Trefpafsonmy Neighbours land ; or,a forfeiture of his
i The Seventh Commandment {n)<s,ThouJbalt not commit Adah
But it will depend much upon Humane Law, what fhall be re
a Good Marriage. The Sixth Commandment fays Thou Jhalt not
But it will much depend upon Humane Law what fhall be re-
L putcd
8i The Christian Sabbath. Parti.
pu«d Self-defenfe, or * Juft War, or a Forfeiture tf Ufc -Tie Fifth
Commandment requires us to Honour and Obey our Parents ; But m
' many cafes, 'tis Humane Law that is to determine, who is to be repu-
fed tie Father. If a Widow be left with Child by a former Huf-
band, and marry another before that Child be born ( which feme-
time happens ; ) 'twill be a point in Law, not inDmnity, to whether
ot theTwoFathers thisSoS Hull be Heir. And if my Father require
me to part with what Eftate is my own/twill be a point in Law,how
far I am required to obey fwch a Command. (And the like w toother
Super iours, « well as Natural Parents ) And thole Laws which feern
Abfolute {rtThou /halt not Kill, Thou /halt not Steal &<:.) Hue
' vet their Tacite Limitations implied. For no man doubts but there
are cales wherein to Kill may be lawful; as in Self-defenfe, in yuji
ITar, and lor Capital Crimes ; And in fuch cafes, to take from our
Neighbour what was His. And, notwithftanding the Command ot
Honour tlx Father anddMotJier, or that of Children obey your Parents
in aU things ; there may things happen, wherein we are not obliged
to do what they bid us. And in all fuch cafes there is room jot Pru-
dence to interpofe. Not, to Abrogate or Repeal a Law of God ; But to
iudee what is the true Intent ol that Law. So notwithflanding that
Command of the Sabbath, In it thoujball derno ^^/"jk 33
oufSaviour tells us, The Priefts in the Temple profane the Sabbath and
are blamelels i and againll the Vhmtes fuperjtifous rigour ht argues,
not oiiely from his own Authority A The Son tf^»WfJ*L
Sabbath-day ) But from the Reafon of the Law, The Sabbath was made
for Man. and not Man for the Sabbath; and confequently is fo to be
underftood as may be for the Good of Man ( fpmtual and bodily) not
lor his Hurt. And our Author allows- the emergent cafes of Necepty
and Mercy ; And no man doubts but that if a Houfe be on Fire, wj
may Labour to quench it. In all which cafes Prudence may be ufei
but muft not (upon that pretenfe) be AM ^ is if ««« g
to our Prudence, whether or ho the Law of G()d fhall be Obeyed,
But. what is, in fuch cafes, the true Intendment M^-df*
Ana there needs no other s or 5o//i (as our Autho freaks ) to
confine Prudence in fuch cafes, than m all othet Prudential Afts. S*
when the Fourth Commandment requires us to keep holy the SabbaW-
^/itmayyet, inmanycafes, depend much upon Prudence icrHj-
mine Laws, which day Hull be reputed the Sabbath. And if this A*
thor tell us it mult be WeSeventh in cour fcfiom-tbe Creation ; We art
never a whit the nearer. For though he take great pleafure, on U
occafions,to exclaim againftfr^/^yethe mufl admit agreat deal}
Tradition to intervene before he can prove this or that day to be
ge venth in cou rfe from the Creation .
parti. The Christian Sabbath. oj
I am am to think alfo, that when he hath well confider'd the cafe
Ind fhTworld as he did, have loft a day,) he will come to one of
tK two ptefolutions : Ei'ther that when he comes back to England
hVmVft continue to call that Saturday which on his account was fo ;
(and then SsSaturdayfabhth will be'the fame with om Sunday:) Or
life that his account muft be fomewhere rectified in his Voyage by
Sea day; and then and there beginning to call 5«*/«/what,
inff before he was to call Saturday. .. ..
3 Kovbecaufe there is nothing In Nature to determine where this
■rite no? is there any thing of Divine Inftitution that I know
off to de«rmine whereW^ It feems to me to ^uden"al
or molt rational, (if nothing intervene to counterbalance it^to be at
that we call the >^ Meridian, from whence we reckon the De-
crees of LonWe, Eaftward, r,a, 3 ,^f. and fo -onward tiUwe
Ion* round x! W* ^e Meridian again : and thence begin
>SSn onward x z, h &. as before, for another round
This lirft Meridian, m Ptolemy's time, * as • a « ount , e f^^
tout the Weftern par of the Jfiican fhore ; as being the moft We-
ftern oart of he World then known. Of later times, Geographers
EicKa dSw tonmoveit more Weft, about the Iflands called
Z J S or the Flemijh Ijlands. But all agree to place n between
l^tZnltA^i J America. And if from thatMeridian/rom
whence wT reckon the beginning of Longitude, we reckon alfo
The bceinninK of Days ; then the laft of Saturday muft there emW
V W$ Sunday muft there begin. And therefore at that Men-
K„ tit ■ fdlra r^S "e WoSd ibouM re&fy their account,
, c Sling ^t & on the one fide of it, and Sunday on the other ;
t that being the hteft of Saturday, andthc>«£c > our
I W<- will tell me perhaps, that, by this account, it tre Keep our
«n Mmdav as being on the other lide ot that Meridian, nno us
™'do inlervene to counterbalance it.
inumate, as difputable, whether we 'and they in hew-Lnglm^K
» JSC Sf i S £ W*^ ****
fent of all ^ I would by no means advife to change the day.
te&fl^iJjtf Vidian is
as well have been P la«3 beyond Amerm, (if men had fo plealed^
•8+ The Christian Sabbath. Parti.'
Zt^Lf^'M becn kl ! ow ? inP ^'« t^e) as on thl
lide . ( And we might have numbred our Degrees of Longitude Weft-
ward as now we do Eaftward : ) And may he fo reputed now if
mC1 l f0 «? le n f€ now re P«ted about 10 or ic feces mo
to the Weftward than it was m Ptolemy's days.) ' S
And it is purely Arbitrary, where to begin to change the name
tobe[ocalIed ' i^*«!lSK
• A j£ C( ? af «q«etttly 'tis purely Arbitrary or ZtiferetisnaL whether
Sue"* 6 fmtiCmm(tndment > "or in the Wo? J of God* lit.
But it fo happening, that hath been peopled from£«.
f**, traveling Weftward from hence (without taking noticTtha
we «ofs the &ft Meridian,) we have' reckoned the fays {and fo
named them) according as theyappeared tothofe upon the r Vova«
who went thither. Whereas iflt had been peopled { I mean as
to the Chriftians there) from ^and the E$lJ»dtes( £££
coming thence to the other fide of ^ M / what there is Sow
«lled&»^ would (for the like reafon) hive been called X
and the Fourth Commandment equally obferved either way
^L'° S ' T' th «A me I 53 " of the day which we here call Sun-
% is coincident with fome part of what'is fo called in Japan and
dent ^^fT Sun - da y ( th ?«gh »ot the fame part) t SincT
Faff «f % J °- A" 5 ir > 4""** But ver y ^ of theirs in the
Eaft of W with theirs m the Weft of America. About E even a
Wat^ht^theone (or yet later) before it bfgins to teone
in « morning m the other, (fcarce an hour in commo!)
St ml* WftE? L Ma P $ - < 6 r ' ater Ma P s «akeTfome
ill .f? V s lf ", misht b - c Ten atm 5 ht in the one, when it be.
gins to be Two m themoming at the otner.) Yet thefe pafs fcj the
fmtfunday And 'tis well enough fo to reckon. P
But it is 9rudentiatty fo \ Becaufe the chief Trade and interconrfe
' t£SSS^f^\ m With tf* And therefore h^oS
ffic^S^ r^^'* ^ tna nas£^from>^.
And accordingly n is fo placed in onrMaps. And thoueti we con-
Zerta^Tl ^t^J° m a Meridian betwfL^Tnd
ll^ t > ^J^ t - rf ^i Iwe6e l i,ia « a Meridian
*eyond it, between America and ^fo. Which
Parti. The Christian Sabbath. 8y
Which is not faid to raife newfcruples, ( as if I would advife an
alteration of a received computation; which is well enough as it is-,
J and I know not how to mend it :) But to fhew there is an unavoida-
ble Neceflity of leaving much to /V^<r«//«/confiderations,What day
fhall be reputed Sunday y and what the fabbath, in this or that place.
And therefore it cannot reafonably be thought the defign of the
fourth Commandment to confine us to fuch CmumftantiaT Ninths,
which do not at all influence the fukftaHtiah »f //^»>Jbi/>.
The fourth CommmtJment requires the feventb day of Holy Refi t
ikctjix days of ordinary Labour. But of a Seventh day in courfe
from the Creation to be fo obfcrved, it faith nothing: Nor is it pofli-
ble for us to know. Thtjews obferved a feventh day in courfe from
the jjrjl raining of Manna ; but I do not know how this concerns us ;
or, if it did, how we lhall know which is that day ? ( for this Gentle-
man will not allow Tradition to be a good proof.) We obferve a
feventb day in courfe from what ( we think ) the Apoftles did obferve.
If we miftakc our reckoning (which I think we do not ) it is not a
Culpable Ignorance ; for it is according to the beft Light we have.
This day we are in pojfeffion oi, and the Chriitian Church hath lo
Tbeen for many Hunareayens. And he that would difpoflefs us of
" it, muft (hew a better Title. ( The old rule is, "Poffidentis potior eft
ratio.) To change meerly for change fa£e y is Foolifli. If he would
lay a Divine Neceffity on us tooblerve the jfeuiijb Sabbath horn the
firft raining of Mama { if at leatt that be the day by them obferved
in our Saviour's time ; ) he muft make it clear to us, which is that
day (by abetter argument, if he can, than Tradition:) And, that
we are of neceffity obliged to that day ; which was (himfelf acknow-
ledges) a diftinftive /ign of them from other Nations, i&Circumcifion
alfo was. And if this diftinflive mark (when the partition wall is
broken down) do as much ceafe as that did: Tis as truly fuperjli-
tion now to put a neceffity upon it, as upon Ctrcumcifion, Which
though the Apoftles would, for a while, permit to the Jews ; ( to
whom it had once been a Law) till they fliould be better fatisfied ;
Yet would by no means allow to the Gentiles, to whom it had not
before been a Law. And I think the cafe is jnft the fame of the
Jewjb as contradiilinguiihed to the Lord's Z>ay.
lam
FINIS,
lours, &c.
Advertisement.
Theological Difcourfes (of the fame Author)
in Two Parts. The former containing Eight
Letters and Three Sermons concerning the
Trinity ; The latter containing^ Sermons and
other Treatifes on divers Occafions. Are Printed
for Thomas Tarkhurft, at the Bible and Three
Crowns in Cheapjide near Mercers-Chappel,
Imprimatur,
HEN. <^LVRICH,
Vice-Can. Ox on.
1694. C
DEFENSE
OF THE
Cbriftian Sabbath \
— *-♦'■*. ^.J 1 T \ I 1 4 1 * 7l ^ >\ \ \ Ti%
PART the SECOND.
being' (97i
A Rejoihder to Mr. Eampfield^ R EPLr
TO
I Do&ot ELLIS'S Discourse
Coocerning The
CHRISTIAN-SABBATH.
by
°™ WALLIS, D.D. AndProfeffor of
in the Unirerfity of OXFORD.
OXFORD,
J^St. WsChu rch-Yard, LONDON. 1694
[I]
ADVERTISEMENT,
THE Firft Edition, of the Firft Part, be-
ing Difperfed, and Scarce to be had;
Care was taken to Re-print it, in the Second
Edition, (with very little Alteration) Page for
Page, fo as not to Diforder the Citations.
! i.
I S C O U R S E
Concerning The
Chriftian Sabbath.
PART the SECOND.
BEING
j§ Rejoinder to Mr, BampfieldV Reply.
WHEN I anfwered your former Book, which
you call An Enquiry ^ &c. I did not know who
was the Author of it, (or that you had enter*
tallied that Opinion, ) and therefore could not
pay you thofe Refpeas that otherwife I fliould have done. For
though I had made Enquiry as I had opportunity at Oxford, of
fflany there, (and particularly fome of your good f Hcnds,and Noil-
Conformifts, whom I thought moft likely to know,) they all a-
greed that n was not Mn Bampfield the Counfellor at Law, but
fome relation of yours. Nor was I rectified therein, till (a great
while after my book was abroad ) when I was informed by ano-
ther good friendof yours (Mr. T.E) that it was your Book. And
lam not forry (for lome reafons) that I did not know it fooner.
However; it was not the Man, but the Doctrine, that I was
to anfwer : And if, in fo doing, I did not pay you thofe refpeib
* would otherwife allow you ; yet I hope there is nothing in it
Undecen t or Unbecoming a fair Difputant.
You obferve ( Rep. p.i. ) thatl had faid { in my "Dijcourfe p. i.)
Th.it ImuMngt (for my own part) give any 'Dijiurbancc (on
■ A jucb
f>2 The Chriftun SMtih. Part 1 1.
' fuch account) to the "Peace andfroBke of the Church where I live,
jo that a Sabbath he duly obferved, though perhaps wt upon what
day I fhouldchwfe: Which 1 find doth give youiome diicurbance,
and It will take up fome time to anfwer your Query's about it.
I am of the fame opinion Ml. ForReafons I then gave, p, i,i,io,
j i, I2 T 13,14, (To which you make no Reply.) Becaute I think
the Subftantials of a Duty, are of greater moment, and more in-
tended n\ the Commands of God, than ihtCircumftantials that do
attend it ; and thefe upon occafion to give way to thofe.
I gave you many precedents to this purpofe, p. 1 ,2,10,11,1 fcjCfa
Cinumdfion was, by the Inftitution, to be performed on the
Eighth day: but in cafe it were then omitted it might be done
the next day, or fome time after, rather than not at all. Atr*
bam was 99 years old, and Ifhmael i\ y and the other Males ia
Abraham^ family of feveral ages when they were at once Cir^
cumcifed, Gen. 17.10,23, And Profelites were circumcifed at
any Age.
And Circumcifion, (you know) was omitted in the Wildernefs
forfourty years together (as inconvenient by reafon of their un-
certain travels) and thofe who were born during that time were
at once Circumcifed at Gilgal, Jop.s^ h 5? 4? ?> And Ttototty
was dotibtlefs more than eight days old, when Taul caufed him to
be Circumcifed) becaufe his ^Mother was a Jew. A&* 16. 1 . And
ill this notwithftanding your great Ob je&ion, No other day Com-
manded, no Tromife to any other, nor Threatning for the omiflion.
The Taffover was, by the Inftitution, to be kept on the fourteenth
day of the fit ft month; but Hezsktah (when it could not conve-
niently be done in the firft Month) kept it in the fecond month,
inftead of the firft (after it had been a long time intermitted,)
iChron. 30. a, 3.
The Jews had their Feafts of the New- Moons ; but were at
great uncertainties (as 1 there (hewed, p. 11, 11.) as to one, two,
or three days \ and it was left much to the Triefts difcrction,\\hicb.
of thofe days fliould be reputed the day of the New-mom, yet
was not the Service to be negle&ed; but to be performed, if not
on the juftday, at leafl on the reputed day of the New-moon.
And nofcniple (that I know of) was madeupon it. Of which
you may ccnfult, if you pleafe, Mr. Seldens Treatife De Ann*
Chili Feterum Judtforum. The Jews, I prefume, have at this
day {Calendars as other People have ; and that fome of thcif
JaterRabbins, RiXQePtoJcmys time, have Tables of the Motions
of the Sun and Moon borrowed from him ; But we are here
A . fpeak-
Part 1 1. The ChrifiUn Sdbatk 3
tfpcakingof the tiroes of Mofes, and thence downward toChrift's
Sme. And that they had then fuch Kaiendars, I do not know,
»or do believe. They had no doubt at that time a Solar Year
(how exaft, I know not, ) according to which they judged of the
Equinox, and of their Summer and Winter and Secd-ume and
Harveft : But their Feafts did depend on their Lunar Ycar 4 which
was very uncertain ; fometimes of Twelve fometinw of Thirteen
Months; and the beginnings of thefe Months very uncertain.
And the fame uncertainty did afFefl the Tafl-over alfo : For if
the day of the New-moon were uncertain, it muft be equally un-
certain which fliould be the fourteenth day on which the Pafs-
bver was to be kept. And we know Chrijl with his Difciples did
fcat his lafl Pafsover on One day, and the Jews on Another;
which could not both be on the fourteenth day from the true New
Moon ; but were both fo reputed, one by him, the other by them %
And 1 do not find it blamed in either. I tuppofe you will not blame
Chrift and his Difciples. And I would not blame the other, be-
caufe I find that Gods Providence fo ordered-it that on this day
Chrift (the Antitype and true PafchalLamb) was Crucified ; not
on the day when himfclf did eat the Pafs-over. 1 would rather
conclude From both, that the nicety of a Day was not then
J thought fo confiderable as to vitiate the Service-
And this of the Day might fo happen as to make the Month
uncertain alfo : For if the Full- Moon happened near the Equinox, it
was much at the Prieftsdifcretion, whether it (hould be reputed
the thirteenth Month of the year 9 aft, or the firft ^Month of the
year Coming. To all which (and much more) you make no
Reply at all.
I And as to Circumftances, even in other Inftitutions, they may
be part of the Narrative, when they arc no parts of the Inflitu-
tion ; As, in the Inflitution of the Lords Supper, that it was in an
Upper Room, and After Supper, &c.
And, when in the firft Inftitution, fome Circumftantials were
but Occafional ( as to that Time and Place ) they may ceafe to be
Obligatory, when the cafe is altered: As, in the Pafs-over, that
it was to be eatep /landings with their Loins Girt , and Staves in
their Hands, as in haft to be gone; and mttoftir out of the Houfe
till morning, Exod. 12. 11, zi. Notwithftanding which, Chrift
vith his Difciples (at his laft Pafs-over) did eat it fitting or rather
lyings and went the fame night to Mount Olivet, Mat.itf. ao, 10,16.
For which confide rations, with others of like nature, I think
the difference of a day in many cafes fo inconfiderable, in com-
A 3. ; pa«-
j i? ,
^L, t Research
w
1
4 The Chrifiisn SMath. Part II.
panfon with the Subftantials of a Duty, as that I would not on
this account give difturbance, though not upon [the day that I
fhould choofe.
But IVhat day I would choofe, you fay, you know not. And you
ftcm to Hope, Rep. p. 2. and Think* and>^ and would have
it thought, that I would Choofe your feventh day Sabbath : and this
after the beji judgment you can make of my book, (for which
reafon I (hall lefs truft to your Judgment another time, ) and in-
finite (broadly enough) p. 6i. as if I did but ejpouje a notion
( again/I my own judgment ) by which I have a benefit , and, for
fear to loofe or endanger that benefit ', do imploy my learning and in-
geny to cavil at you, and the direff will ana word of God, and
Teach the contrary ; notwithftanding my doubts and fcruples ; and
p. 74- that I do it for fome worldly advantage : whereas you Hope
and Think and Judge that (if left to my own choice) I am really
of your mind. And you have the confidence Rep. p. 18. to de-
fire that the 2)offor who krvery able would undertake your caufe :
As if you thought me one of thofe who may be indifferently re-
tained on either fide as there is occafion: ( but, however, to be re-
tained on both fides is not fair to a&ice) With many hard cenfurcs
all along. (I believe that ( till now ) you had a better opinion ot
me- Have I loft all my reputation with you for not approving
your Saturday-Sabbath?) I {hould not have expefted that Mr.
Bampfield would have thus infinnated without any ground, and
take it to be more uncharitable than all the hardlVords you com-
plain of {p. 6%) from Mr. Trofs. { Which yet are moil of them
your own.) I am fo charitable as to think Mr. Bampfield ( though
in an Error ) doth argue according to his own judgment, not for
worldly advantages contrary thereunto.
But, to put you oi]t of 'Doubt (and anfwer your furnufe) I
will tell you, (without hefitance, and without doubt orfcrupk.)
I would choofe (if it were left to my choice) that Day which'
1 think the Apoftles didobferve, and the Chriftian Churches in
their time, (and everfince,) which (in contradiftin£tion to the
Jewifti Sabbath) they called the Lords Z)ay; and the pit day of the
week, or the firfi day after the (Jewilh) Sabbat b K And the middle
pari of this day, being the chief time for A&ion or Bufinefs
( fuppofe from Sun-rifine to Sun-fetting,) 1 fhould take to be the
midale-part of fuch Sabbath-day; raking into it, fo much Back-
ward (toward the Mid-night Iaft part) and fo much Forward (to^
ward the Mid-night enfumg) as is wont to be accounted time of
hufinefs (or the diesprafficus y ) and thatfo much of the time (be*
twttfi
Part I L The Chriftm Sdhatk 5
tween mid-night and mid-night) as is to be time of btifmej jfliould
(on that day) be imployed in Religious bufinefs (as, on other days,
lit is or may be imployed in Civil bufinefs^) and lb much 01 it
(next after the mid-night paft, and next before the mid-night fol-
lowing,) as is reafonably to be allowed for Natural Reft, (hould
xm this day be a Relaxation from Religious bufinefs, as on other
Jays from Civil bufinefs. This is the Day 1 would choofe ; and
thus bounded.
But if I were in New-Engknd r where (I am told) they life to
begin their Sabbath on Saturday-night about Sun-fet: I would
then and there comply with the pra&ice I there find, rather than
jive them any Oflfenie or Difhirbance therein. For I do not think
it the defign of the Fourth Commandment, to defcend to fuch
(Pun&ilio s ; but rather that the Sabbath-day fhould be fo reckoned
ljuid fo bounded, as other days are reputed to be.
t: But I have fomewhat further to add to this purpofe, upon con-
•fideration of the Scheme you give us, {Repl p^i^i^j.) for the
accounting of Days.
You pleafe to begin ox fet forth ( as you fay) ztjerufalem ;(And
why fo, but becaufe/fltf pleafe? Another perhaps would choofe to
'begin at the Firft Meridian^x elfewhere. But, be it as you pleafe.)
'^lomjerufalem you begin your account on Saturday Mar.n.
'and bring your account round the Earth to Jerusalem again. From
•hence Weftward 15- degrees, will be Saturday ftill, but an hour
•htcr than ztjerufalem ; and 1 5 degrees further, will be two hours
later but ftill the fame day ; and fo onward, for every fifteen de-
grees , allowing an hour. And accordingly at Rome ( you tell us)
rat will be Saturday ftill, but two hours later than zxjerujdem.
-At London, Saturday will be 3 hours and j i minutes later than at
Jerufalem. At Dublin, about 3 hours and $1 minutes later than
at Jcrufalem. And pafHng on to New-England, { though in fo
palling you crofs the firft Meridian) it fhall yet be Saturday, but la-
ter by eight hours than ztjerufalem. ( Whether thefe be the jufl
'diftanccsof thofe Meridians, is not material; but we will take
'them fo to be,) Thence palling onward to Japan, it will there be
Saturday ftill (or thejeventhday) March ix but later by hoars
j than at Jerufakm. And from Japan, You fay ( topafs over the other
Meridians andrefi of the land in Afia) about f even hours. (That is,
inCh:mJndia,Terfia,Baly^ 'tis ftill Saturday X&r. 1 J.
but Liter and later, til] in 7 hours more we come from Japan to
'brufalem again.) And, becauje i^andq are 24, when we come
.jfengfr/oK again, we are then to call it Sunday March 12; but
JDigitized bv the Cej
:ist Research
w
6 Tk Cbrifiim Sabbstk Part 1 1,
till we come there, it muft yet be Saturday March n, though
perhaps 2.3 hours (or more than fo) later than M Jerufalem. And
this, I think,you will not deny to be a juft account of your Scheme,
according to your own mind, Jtep. p, though in fomewhat
fewer words.
And according to this Scheme, at Sinai, Jordan, and Mount
Olivet \ (for we are not yetcojne to Jerufalem, all thefe places be-
ing Eaftward from it,} it muft yet be Saturday March 1 1 . later by
almoft hours than at Jerufalem. And particularly at Mount
Sinai (wnich is, you tell us, 6 degrees Eaftward from Jerujklem y
that is, £4 minutes of time) it mitft yet be Saturday, March 1 f,
but later than at Jerufalemby 23 Errand 36 minutes. At Mount
Olivet, it muft yet be Mar. 11. (for we arc yet Ihort of Jerufa-
lem) but later by almoft 24 hours (wanting left, than one minute.)
So that, if Chnlt did eat the Pafs^over, on Tburfday the Thir-
teenth day of the firft month, and after went to Mount Olivet f it
would there be but Wednesday the Twelfth day; and when he
came back to jferufalem, it was there again Tburfday the Thir-
teenth, audit he had returned back again to Mount OlivU the
fame night, it would now again be but fFednefday the Twelfth.
But you may remember that you told us before (^>*p*5 7/^8,69 )
that though the Sun travel IVefiward^ yet the Toftetity of Adam
md Noah did travel (not only Weft ward, but) £aft, Jreft, North
and South, overfpreadtng the Earth ; and whenever they came (Eaft-
ward or Weftward ) after Six days of travel or other work, as the
Sun did fet, their Sabbath was to begin. ( I will not trouble you with
Greenland, where if they muft wait till Sun-fit } they muft have
no Sabbath for divers Months together.)
Now thofe who travel Eaftward from Jerufalem muft there-
fore reckon the fame day, fifteen degrees Eaftward, to be m how
fooner than at Jerufalem, and fo in proportion the further they
go ; one hour for every fifteen degrees. And your felf give us a pre*
cedent of fuch reckoning (p. 71.) at Sinai (feeing about fa de-
grees of Longitude Eaftward from Jerufalem) the J 'evmth day at
Sinai was about 14 Minutes fooner than At Jerufalem } yet was the
Seventh day it both-
Let us now begin where you left, that is, at Sunday Mar At*
*6p§ at Jerufalem. This at Sinai will be Sunday (the fame day)
but 14 minutes fooner than at Jerufalem, as you tell us, pqg. 71 ;
But, according to your other account, pag. 73. it was to be Satur-
day 13 hours and 36 minutes later than at Jerufalem, And whe-
ther of the two reckonings mult we follow ? And at Jepm y 'twill
art 1 1- Tk Chnjlian Sdbatk 7
the fame day (Sunday) b|it earlier by *) hours than at Jerufa*
h And at New-England, the fame day (Sunday) will be fatten
ws fooner than at Jerufalem, And Sunday at Rome will be \\
tours fooner than at Jerufalem. And fo onward till you coineto
Jerufalem again. But then (and not till then ) inftead of calling it
Sunday tSMar. 12. 14 hours fooner than at Jetnfalem, we muft call
it Saturday Man n. at Jerufalem: Which is a juft account, ac-
cording to your own Scheme, as to thofe who travel Eaftward ;
Ot fo reckon as if they did fo travel.
h So that, at Japan, (according to your two accounts) it is in-
different whether to call it Saturday labours later, according to
MS- 11- ox Sunday 7 hours fooner than at Jerufalem, according to
pag> And &tNew-Enghnei, 'tis indifferent whether to call it
Saturday eight hours later , or Sunday \ 6 hours fooner , than at Je-
tufalem: for 'tis jufl the fame time either way.
r^But, notwithuanding this indifference, I would, as to New*
England, comply with your Scheme fag, 73. and call it (as you
io) Saturday eight hours later 7 (though in going thither we crofs
die firft Meridian,) becaufe in New-England they do fb account
tilth days. But, as to Japan, 1 would not comoly with you, to call
it Saturday feventeen hours later , but would choofe to call it Sun* .
iay *J even hours fooner than at jferufalem; becaufe, at Japan, they
fc fo account their days. And therefore though I do acknowledge
(as you fpeak Repl pa.) that the Word is the Rule of fForfoip; yet
rwould here be guided by theTraHiee of the place^ (for the Word
4fcth herein determined nothing either way) which pradhce there-
fore I would not difturb.
KAnd this doth furnifh a Third Expedient (befide the Two which
ll gave you before) by travelling to Japan, For what you call Sa-
turday for the Seventh day ) jtventeen hours later , will be the fame
with what they call Sunday for the firft day y ) f even hours fooner
ihto ujetufalem. That is, Your Saturday- fabbath, will he the
fcme with their Sunday fabbatk Or if to ]apan be too great a
Journey, 'twill be the lame cafe if you go but toCbina, Eajt-lndia,
t*Jta, Babylon, or but to Syria , 'or any place Eaftward to Je-
rufalem.
\ 'But ( in erefting this Scheme, and fitting 00/ from Jerufalem^
leftward, reckoning Mar. 1 r. till we come round to Jerufalem
*gain ) you do it, you fay, without jetting a Meridian ; I fuppofe,
% Meridian, you mean without fetting a Firft Meridian j for
Otherwife every place hath its Meridian;) But in thus reckoning
jou do ( though you be not aware of it) make this 1 firft dtf^
he
Digitized by the Ce
titist Research
'Mi
ridiaH.
8 Tk Omftafi Sdhatk Part II,
ridian. For, a firft Meridian is that from whence we reckon
1,2, j, &c till at 360 we come round thither again. For, fa
reckoning, makes this { to you ) the firjl Meridian. Onely you
reckon trom thence i, 2,3,&c. Wefiward: whereas others do
to reckon from their Firit Meridian Eajiward^ But in pag. 71,
you fo reckon Eajlward as others do. Both which make it a Jirjl
xjMcridmn.
I have but one thing more here to note and I ftiall difmifs this
point. And it is your prudent choke of the EfumSiial day,
when the days and nights be equal all the AVorhj over. For if
you had pitched upon any other day than one of the two Eqm*
hoxes, the Obliquity of Horizons (as you are well aware, Jtep.^o\
would (mite have fpoikd your reckoning/ For though, to all
imder the fame Meridian, it be Mid-day at the fame time, and
Mid-night likewife; yet fun-rtfing, and junfetiing he at very
different times, even to thoie under the fame Meridian, And ao
cordingly the Sabbath not to begin, at all times of the year, at
Home, London, New-England y &c. fo long before or after that at
Jerufalem,z$ your fcheme appoints. But I lhall prefs this no farther.
But thus much is undeniably evident from your own Scheme,
, that, at Japan for inlUnce, *r Mount Sinai } the fatfte day may in-
differently be called fatnrday otfunday, according as from jrVr/^i
lem you reckon fVcfiward or Eajiward. Which is enough for the
pwpofe to which I allege it.
From what hath been faid, I think it is very plain. That fince,
according to your own Scheme. ( any where but ztjferttfalem^ the
fam$ day may be indifferently called Sunday or Saturday (the jirjl
or the jeventh day) according as to that place we reckon fromjf-
rufakm Ealhvard or Weftward : I am iHll of opinion that we
ftiould not quarel upon a circumftance which doth not influence
(as you call it Enq. fag. 27.) tk lively, fiery, morning and evening
(Vord and Prayer ; tor men may be as dead and formal on a Satur-
day as on a Sunday. » : J
You next fall upon me (Rep. p. 2) to know what Church it is 1
would notdiilurb; for w live in an age (you tell us) wherein an
variety of Churches. Now this I take to be a captious Qucftiofl.
Would you have me here enter* on a Difpute of Whigg and
Tory ; of Conformifi and Nothconformijii Epifiopal, Presbyter i0.
Independent, rftabaptiji y Jews ^Quakers? (Pray which Church
or Churches of all thefe is it that you have a fpight a^ in contra-
diftiufHon to the Churches of Chrtfi y who's true peace, yoy fiy,^
uwldnot difiurb f) No I flull not be lead afidc from the point in
1 Digitized by the C
frai t II. The ChriJHtw Sahbatb; 0
Kandtoanv of thefe difputes, which are nothing to the prefent N
[purpofe. "By the Church whofe peace and praftice I would not
ierein difturb. I mean the Generality of Chriftian people amonglt
Whom I live. For ( without difputing what other varieties there
Kay be araongft us) I think we are all agreed, except your fclf and
feme few others ( not fo many, I hope, as to be called the Church,)
|o celebrate the Lords-day, not the J ewijk Sabbath.
1 1 would fay the like as to your other excurfions ( in which you
Deem to take great pleafure) againfl Chriftmafs, Eafter, IVhttfunhde, ,
End other tides as you call them ) Holy -days, Rome, Purgatory, MaJ*
, and Monkery, Formal Wotjkifi, Form of fFotfhip, the Lot fs Prayer
WnTublick, Ceremonies Jradition, Black Garments, your thoughts, of
Monarchy, Swearing to a point, objuring Endeavours and other t he
like excurfions; with which I mean not to trouble my felf: Be-
caufe, whatever there be of Good or Bad m any of thefe, it is no-
thing to our prefent purpofe of a Saturday-fabbatb. You arc very
touchy with me (Hep. p. 3 i t &) for but naming the phrafe of Hold-
ing.fofth, though (I think) very innocently. (And fo, I ftppofc,
Erffl thofe thin!-, that confnlt the place not as you Jttjl|^
tut as it is in my 'Dipurfc p. 1* ) This you call \Bl J^™}
■Highly Blamable. ( Whether you take me for a Stofr or a Caff, I
cann/t tell. } But. pray Sir, are the Words and Phrafe of ISon-
Wormifts fo facred, that a man may not venture : to Name one pt
, them, without a Reprimand ? While you take the liberty to be *
frays Flurting at the Words,Pnrafes, and Praxes or others, when
Htf nothing fothc Purpofe. It may prove perhaps tnatmfcw •
facial Knac% at Finding Fault but proves nothing to thepmt m
hand. You would not take it kindly of me if I mould upon all oc-
Cahons (or without occafion) be ftill inveighing again!
%ration,Non:conformity, zvAJudaizing
picks) or charge you (by infinuation with worfitprng Satutn uf>»t
12% as oftVyou do y us with worQuping the
(But, tivmjfo the Sun upon Sunday, runs fo glib upon W»"B»fi
ihat'vou muffneeds be at it again and again,eyen aher I had few d
you plainly that there is no Foundation for *t ) N ow if it would
' lot Lomi me (as I think it would not) to be ^ fi ^ » ' g
along, at what is nothing to the purpofe ; pray
- you ol I are molt blamable in this regard. And, if I have handled
5011 therein more foftly than perhaps another C
lone; you fiiouldnotfe me for it; K^^^Ls*
Theft things T mention in the beginning, ^"g"^
throw off thelc Extravagances and impertinent Excurfions, and
B
IO The Chriftw Sdbtib. Part IT
not bejroncemed to an fwer them where-ever I meet them. And
tis the way lthiakfittoufc, as to what is nothingYo tie purpof
,Sf ■ L ?i I* 1 **' y °"M ^ ^ frj «P'C0&»* « the 'DoBor's Book:
and fo Mi 1 in yours, when they be nofhmg to our bufmefs
But let us come to the bufmefs in hand : Wherein are Two Points
U JH illh «l [ : Though yon pleafeto make them butOn
Hrlt Whether we have fuftcient ground for celebrating the
Lords-dajr, oxFnftDayofthe }Feek,% the weeks were then act
counted by the Jews, or be now by us
ftl« h H^ ft i? f / hef l-r t i ink was not at a11 qaeftioned in the Apo-
Jties time but praflifcd generaDy by all Chriftians ■ For it £1™
Chrift, for ordering the afTairsof the Chrilkan Church, thev had
of ZiiS ?; *? "WW** this, than againft the introducing
o Bapufm, the Lord's Supper, the inftitutmn of Elders, Deacons
td 0 ?hW\fo r l w f h r ver other offic i rs and 0rders ™ th ^te£
S;r 5 C l thlS We „ meet Wlth no dif PW«, but a fiknt
but to difpute about Words. If you do not like that Name I
fer- " ^ ** **y ^d. I take iuo T e a
Name And T %S S r *"! ° f Ac J CWS > the y S ave »
nay. V, nich 1 do not find fo called in Scripture.
i 0 S,f tllcr ' ca f e w « ™<* the fame as that of Circum-
ciiion, the Pals-over, and other Jewifli Feafis or Fefti vals he S
nencefrom Meats, their Rites'of Purification, and S Lke with'
were very fond and loth to part with them. And tho/e of them
who thought themfelves obliged to be Baptized and clcumT^J
f^d no doubt think thenffelves obliged, befide the ChSs
^^iXf?*^ S ^" k This I Se to be
i^n™* the l atter > the Apoftle advifeth a mutual Forbear-
he bc«er fa3 f j? 1 rT* time and leifure tbe y
Si *5 5 Cd l thCir Chn f , - an L j- bc "y : And did himfelf
comply with them therein ; as things JofoaM. though not Oifr
g'*g.
Part ir. The Chrifun Salhath.
mg. With the W, I mean ; to whom thefc had once Wn r ,
fet would not have them introduced on the GeSSL f **'
Me) to whom they had not been Laws h,L^rV^Z
pdiftmaion I do not find that you take anv ntW ufu J
fc!. w !i 8 ] , !A ai t! , P on th, i afr-aon, *r. ra. , 0 ,Ti whe«
^ey didnotthink&fe7t£el^;7d7 m
Ween /Ae and /Ar ,^ S S
tt5 5 "W^ ^ ^ ^ ^ « ft?
jet e «// Z c Wff«j ? / // Je Law } And they are informed »f th,, th ,
^Wfthel^thataream^
fertheCuftomes, ver. 20, 27. Which wastrue zsiotheGenrt *
35 J 0 the *:f*™>* #* Gentiles. For tak,ng off vh eh
*P*nff htm elf w ith them; to fatisfy the Tews that Ik h JbTe*
U^efented, andthat ^^(ajewj vMi^^tZ
K «J x 3 * 4 But, *s touching the Gentiles which hef^e, w
7 ? (f l y ^ ey, ^Tf^^^ohfervenofHchthi^
ald 'llH tbt ?(?™fr tb "i ^redtoWs, ^d
t Moud and jromftrmgled and from fornication, ver. **/ But
ung ot the Jcwf, Sabbath ( in contradiftinclion to the
J Which I take to be particularly intended by the word
TwoQueftions I fliall fpeak diffinflly ; and firfi,
* fae fujfictent ground for Celebrating the Lord's2)*y
fo this, your great Objection is, that there is no £W, Com
™«, Rectrdedin Scripture, for lb doing.'
C Anfw " t0 this 1 ftcw,d fo%&KaEx?repCommamlllecvr*W
gneceflary for our Warrant: And then, that there is other-
"je m the Word of God fufhcient to warrant us therein
in order fo thefirft, I gave you divers Inftances <mc. p.i<S,i- )
>ftich I do not remember that you give any Anfwer. Goi wa,
junped by Smrtfea very early ; at jeaft as early as that of Cain
"Abe/; And though (I luppok) you think they had fome Corn-
ea Jor it, yet we have no fuch Command Recorded, antecedent
r e«nto. The hke of Jacob's confecrating a Tittar, by pourin*
npon it, without any antecedent Command Recorded for confe-
•ng either Things orPerfons by Anointing, or pouring on of Of I.
B 2 There
The CbrifiiR Sdbitb. Part II.
There was (I preftime) a Command (or fomewhat equivalent there,
Jnto) that 1 Fire forlncenfe mould be taken from tht - Altar { elf
Nadab and ^ite would not have been deftroyed for rfffftX
fire.) But I do not find fuch Command Recorded. (With
other the like Inftances, which 1 forbear to repeat) To winch Id
ranowaddthediftinaionof^
'and by God approved, {as appears by his fending Thofe by Seven*
and Thefe by TWj, and we have reafon to think it was by bj
oder Yet is no antecedent C^W to^for fnch difhnaioj
that I find. And accordingly I do .not f doubt but .that Apoffl*
had fufficient authority and direction from Chnft ( wjo ^ ^
Commandments, of things pertaining to the hngdome of G d kd.i
i for what they fetled in the Chnftian Church, though thj
mrti cular Commands be not Recorded. I do not find any partictM
Commands from Chnft for their appointing xtejeven kM
for their ordaining Elders in every Church A& H- ft* for gv|
the like in charge, to M to ordain and P' - ^
Asf/«, 1 rW * and the like to Titus m Crete to ordam ElM
iitvlry City Tit. 1. But becaufe they did thefe things, we pretK
they had fufficient warrant, though « have no exprefi Command^
corded for their fo doing. . '
I add further: You fuppofe (I prefume) that there B i/^/
Warrant fa z Weekly Sabbath bom Gen. i 1,3 . yet there is
cxprefi Command fot it. 'Tisfaid that ffirfA/W (that is,heceafe
to create,) but 'tis not faid that Man refied, or t^thewas M
«A Tisfaid God blejfedthe Seventh-day and fanBified it. (^
thefe words may imply, I need not here difpute } But tis not 6
that Man did fmBify or holy, or was W fo to do. God J
<dtbc feventb fyi buthe did no more r^f "the /^ f/'
JPWf, than the fix days of Creation. And if Man did fcndhfy or kfl
holy 'that one day, it is not faid that he did or was Wto^keephoi
tvfiy Seventh day to the Worlds end ; and that it muft be wl\M
f«*£/i (in a continued circulation of Weeks from the CM
"tion) and no other ; and that he muft begin every fuch day 1
/few ri»w of the day as God did his Seventh day > or juit at j]
fame time of the day as it was in Taradfe (at that moment vWI
God ceafed to work) though at the fame moment " wereall hojj
of the day in fome place or other. And if you would have us twj
(becaufe you think fo) that all this is there implyed; y«certajj
this is much fliort of an exprefi Command recorded, tor J»m
1 fav for All this. For fuch were my words &ijc p. 4- lc JS 1
Part II. 7be Chrifiia Sabbath. 1 J
exprejly faid, that All mankind mujl, forever after, obferve Every
Seventh-day in Every Week of Hays, reckoned continually from the
IJirJl Creation, which, when you cite part of my words Repl. p. 6.
[ you thought fit to omit. -Yet All this muft be fhewed to be exprejly
commanded (according to your notion) or elfe fomewhat /f/fthan
an exprefi Command Recorded, may ferve to>y% our Tra&ke, and
intimate Gods Tleajm e. Lefs therefore than an Exprefs Command
Recorded may ferve to Intimate God's Tleafure, and Warrant our
Tracl 'fe as to the Lord's Day.
In the next place, let us fee what may be alleged in the prefent '
cafe, to warrant our celebration of the Lords-day.
That the ReSurretJion of Chnft, which dothaccomplifh the work
of our Redemption (as Rom. 8. 34. Chri/i that died, yea rather that
7s rifen again; Who died for our fins and rofe again for our jujlifica-
ion, Rora. 4. 2f .} is a mercy doubtlefs that is worth remembering,
nd therefore not improper for a folemn Commemoration, if at leaft
we have any incouragement from Chrijij or the Apojlles praBife for
fo doing; Once great partof the Chriftian Inftitution is founded on
theApoftlespraclife, and that of the Primitive Church.
, We find that Chnft himfelf, on the day of , his RefurreElton, the
lirft day of the Week, or the firft day after the (Jews) Sabbath did
firft appear to the good Women who fought him at the Sepulcher,
declaring to them the Refurrctlion ( which was to preach to them a
ew Doctrine of which before they were not aware,) and bid them
11 it to the Difciples ; which they did, and thereupon P eter _ and
obn (from the reft) went to the Sepulcher and found it fo : Which
0 doubt put them nponferious thoughts, waiting what the ltlue of
is might be. He then joins in company with mo 'Difciples going
oEmmaus, (whethertwo of the Twelve, we know not; nor is it
ery material ,0 finds them ingaged in Religious difcour/e ; And
•tubes to them (from dMofes and the Prophets) the things con.
crnin? bimfelf; Rays with them at Emmaus, continuing the lame
ifcourfe and was known to them by breaking of bread ( celebrating
' e Lords Supper,) all which are Religious imployments proper for
e Celebration of fuck a day. He then comes to the pijaples at Je-
-ifalem, preaches to them the fame Do6lrine , gives them his
leffin? ( a firft and a fecond time ; ) blames their 1 unbelief confirms
eir Faith, renews the promife of fending the Holy Glf; gives
hem Commilfton he preaching the Gofpel, and planting tbtCbrtfba*
'burcb; with power of ifflrules for confirmation or their Do-
rine: As I thewed at large {Dife. p. 17,18,19,2°.) from Lukjt±
oh. io. Mar. 16. All which put together looks very like tne CW?-
ejtist Research
f4 Chripsn Sabbath Part 1 1
brat ion (if not the Confecration } of a Christian Sabbath, ox Day of
Religious IVorfhip. 'Tis all Sabbatical work, and a great deal of it.
And we have reafon to think (though it be not exprefty faid To J
that he then gave them order to continue the like for the future.
This matter of fa& you cannot deny ; but do ^cprcfly grant it,
Hep. p. I9 ? zo, xi, and that all this was Religious fmphyment, fit
exercife for fuch an occafion. Your little Exceptions, we re moftof
thein anfwered before, But becaufe you repeat them, I muft re-
peat the Anfwers. You fay, From ferufalem to Emmaus and back
again, was more than a Sabbath days journey, yetChrift doth not re-
/rwthctwoDifciples for fo traveling. True, (atleaftfo far as we
know,) Nor was there any reafon for it. For they did not know when
they began their journey^ what Chrift might do before the day was
over. I might tell you alfo ( as here you (peak ) That he did not re-
prove them, is not written. You fay, That Chriji did travel with-
out fain, is not written. True. Nor is it material to me whether
he did or did not. ( I do rather think, that, after his Refur region,
lie was not fubjefl to Bodily Wearinefs.) But he was 9reachingz\\
the while (and then, whether fitting or walking is much one.) I
hope you do not think it a breach of the Sabbath for a man to take
pains inbreathing. You %, The Difciples being afemk/ed atje*
rufalem was Providential True, The Providence of God fo ordered
it that they fhould be there aflembled : But doth it thence follow
that they were not reltpoufiy imployed f You fay, Toudo not know
(becaufe it is not written) what they were then imployed about, un-
lefs nlourning and weeping Mar. 16. 10. Do you know how Adam
was imployed (all the day) on the Seventh day from the Creation ?
That is no more written than this. You own thev were imployed
in mourning and weeping. Very well : and was not mourning and
weeping y at that time, a feafonable imployment? You do not know
but that, with their mourning and weeping, they might add Prayer
alfo ^religious "Difcourfs, zadferious Conjultation what they were
to do in thefe circumfhnces, and waiting on God for direction there-
in. Sure I am, you do not how ( nor is it written ) that they were
imployed about any fervik work. Part of the time they were ( wc
know) Rehgioujly imployed, and you do not Itnow but that they were
foall the day. You would have it fuppofedRep.p. 33, that Pouts
preaching in the Synagogue did comprehend his confeientious obfer-
vwg the whole Sabbath day (though it be not written) and why may
we not as wtWfuppofe, the difciples here were well imployed all the
day ? Bu t you fay Chrifi appeared to the Eleven as they fate at Meat ;
// was ds they fate at Meat. Very well. But do you think they might
' not
Part IT. Th ckiJli
Chrift's faying to them UacTi ?JL\t'** f ***** * f
fryer; but when God f avs j, >T„J£l eacc r be *»toyou, it i sa
Uttve Benson. And Xh faid i » " " n
fmd to them again , Peace £ 1,! , 3galn a fecond "me, (Jeius
mdjm h unto them^Receive the HohrlmtiuArr m tbe >»
they are remitted & c S * G *** • Wofi foever fins ye re-
Orfnay Salutation? ButVulft 't^tfM F* a11 ^ bot »
before Chrift came to them tSr k? ? ] " (not lowing,
fo obferved) had on foine part of the cK dL?T " * day t0 be
Mf s that we know not of wa , A • 7 , - e iomc ordinary b«fi. ,
fence follow Z^ltJZ^I'?* 1 ****? Or Lh L '
it) to be uhluToZleL^T^ ^ ^ ^
Chnficametothcmf SXlvt Jtf V?^^* r » aft "
\hh titer the SeventhTam*^ But ' &**ti*
\W do not find Stav a Zffl F " fi *9 ' 9r * ***** ( you fay )
'Math, fla^^^^i-be'
whether there be not fmm • ' We arc J« mqii ring
'bbaththen part.) Vefv Trt (meanin g> the J e ^s -
R the Sabbath-day was^TfttefS ^ ^^r" 6 W occaCoa f "
P r «ended that, befcre dS , Rrf„ !A; C ^""gwn": And'tisnot
"^gious Imployments Vfh iX i l°J the Motion, by
?at 8 more thanThat vouT^ , S °» n ? g °c° d PrC " dcnt * and
" Seven A day, we read A lrod , r d mce r & en
% we w eiiiVS Aan A a ?£ * 1 his Seventh-day
■V9ks fo afcZ/J J a * ™«frM<itmt fo meet with hh
Wsjo ajembled, an d was in a like manner imployed. ^/S
fight.
^ The ChrifkUn Sahhtth. Part II.
ehht dm Chrifi appeared to the Vifapto, mi Thoma5 W '3
ffiTri &x&iiteh^nmu (who was ; before abfent) as
idllTthe red concerning the Refurreaion, and much in the fame
!, ' ;, a3 before but with fomewhat more particular. That he
did (om el w th he Wtoles ^«#«^, you do not deny;
nor tlm they were fo implied. But you do not admit that -tor
Av not > But becaufe then it would be on thefirfl day of the week
T- tL other was ? ) And you are offended that I fhould take this to
teaCavU Aft er fib dlys, you fay, may be the ninth or tentbdzj
( fc r the fSff w «/«r, for all this is
23 andyoucanfowawri/a^s^^ ^^f'L'^:
But vou know alfo, that it is the ufual way in Scripture (and oth r
whe rd "SSa to reckon inclufively. I gave yon feveral inl fances . »
hat purpofLof which I (hall repeat fome. Mat. v~]. 6i . they tell
fo/iW M ^fcr *6w Ay IftUrtfeagam
lt% & ) meaning thereby tbc ttiri^f ^MlUl
dTerefofe they pray Siat the Sepulchre might be made ft re till tit
th Tdda] Wyftould have faid (according to .your
thurth £y a ndfo forward; for to what purpofe would it be to fecu J
TtiiS Oirily and no more, if the
Xfter the thi/d day is pajl. Here, you .contefs *"J
bv Sfrr /ir« <&W mull needs be meant ttU after the tmd day is
t Mr. 8 . j i . The Son of Mm mud be fed and After three dd
rifeaglin; that is, onthehirdd^Mf An Ihere alfo ^
own ( Rep- p. is. ) that it mull be fo underftood The Cruapm
(2 feT «i i Wrf ^ £ef*rre8ton <>»thefir({M
Yfthe lit week ; and therele, by After three days urn***. fA
lart of the fmh day, the whole Seventh day,andpait of the mm
fi owr ^therefore that in thefe places after three days muft nej
bVAe^m7»?s»/fc^^- And why not as well
*V the fame as on the eighth day. A
After eight days, you lay, ts m where explained to be tbebim
^/whatWt thereniay be in te™to u ~^<&^
I "cannot tell: But doth it no where
.W EL* i n ^hen Eight days were Accompl fled {fir the &
^Jnonofth Child) they Ml his name of Jefus? 'tis all on
Zfh^ih\%Jere Lomplijhed as to
come? Ancfthis alfo you own f^p.H)f^f
Sow If after three /ays fignify no more but after the third day*
tome: whv foould wYnot think that after eight days doth as *
Part II. Tk CkriftM Sdlah i 7
after the eighth day was come; that is, as weufc to foeak in
Englifh, on that dayjen-nigbt. Sure we arc, it was not on the Je w
rjb Sabbath J for it was, to that, but Seven days, not after Eight days.)
.lis manifeft therefore that our Saviour made choice of another
day than the Je-wifb Sabbath, /or thefe Sabbatical Works : And I
think it is plain to be tbeftrji day of the week.
Tie give you one text more, (which I did not name before, be-
Jcanfe I would not trouble you to compute it,) A3. 24. 1. After five
days, Ananias the High-Priejl defcended with the Elders and with a
certain Orator named Tertullus who informed the Govermur againji
Foul. After Jive days, that is, cm the fifth day (after Paul's being ap-
prehended.} How doth that appear, (you will ask) finceit is «*
where explained, that this after five days is on the fifth day t Tie fhew
you presently. Feul ernes to Jerttfalem, Ail.xu 17. that was one
.day. The day following ('tis faid) Paul went in with us unto James, and
fiff the Elders were frefent, ver. t8. Who then advife him. thus ,
/Wehave four men which have a Fow on them; take them and purify
thy felf with them, &c. ver. 13,24. that's a Second day. Then?W
took the men and the next day (there's a Third day ) purifying him-
felf with tbem, entered into the temple, to fignify the accomplifbment
tf the days of t Purificatim } yet. \6. (which we find to be the fpace
tf feven days, Ntem. 6. 1 3. inclufively from that Third day ; which
were therefore to end on the Ninth day.) But when the /even days
mere aimofi ended, ver. 1*7. not, when tbelafi of thofe jeven were all.
tended (for we have not days enough for that) but, thefeventh
„ was aimofi come (for when that day was come, the j "even days
'tn accompli/bed, according to that Luk. 2, 11.) that is, on the
jth day of thofe /even, which was the Eighth day from his coming
>jferufalem. On this Eighth day the Jews laid 'bands on him } ver.i 7 .
id when they were about to hill him, the chief Captain rejeued him
id carried him into the Cajlle, ver- 3 1, 34. On the morrow (which
'as the Ninth day) he was brought down before the Counfel, Chap,
i. 30. where be made bis defenfe, Chap. 23,1. and was brought back,
the Caftle, ver. 10. That night the Lord flood by him to comfort him,
*er. 1 r. ('tis faid that night, the night or that nmthday, not c» the ■
morrow night, as if it were the night of the tenth day.) and when
■ was day (that is on the Tenth day) more than four ty of the Jews
*ded together to kill bim, ver. 11,13. of which con (piracy when
^ouPs iinfman had informed the chief Captain, ver. 16, io ? 2i. he
fent him that night (the night of the tenth day,) with a guard, to
Antipatris ver. 13, 3 1. from whence on the morrow (which was the
Eleventh day) he cametoCe/area ver. 32,33. (which Eleventh day
is
1 8 The ChriflUn Sabbath. Part II
is the wrnow after, the third hour of the night foregoing, not the
fame day with it.) When they came to Cefarea, Felix commanded
him to be kept in Hcrods Tud^menUhall, till his Accufcrs fhould come }
ver. j) . (which was on the next day.) And after five days, Chap.iA.T.
(not, from the Eleventh on which be was brought to Cefarea y but
from the Eighth on which he was feifed in the Temple) the High
Triejl and Elder s y witbTertullu^a Lawyer, came down to info tni
againft him. Now, if after five days be meant of the fifth day (from
IttM Eighth) inclufively .(taking that Eighth day for.the firft of the
five) this will be on the Twelfth day ; it on the fifth day after (cx-
ciulivc of that eighth day) it will be on the Thirteenth; if after
Jive whole days (befide. that eighth) were pad, it muft be the Fom -
teenth from his firll coming to Jerufalem. And which of the three
it was, Yaul.tt)\% us at ver. ll. Thou mayji underftand (faith he to
the Governour) that there are yet. but Tuuehe daysfincc I went up to
Jerufalem for to worfhip So that after five days muft be meant of the
fifth Jay current, mclujively ; otherwife it would have been thirteen
or fourteen days from his coming to Jerufalem to worfhip. Now if
St. Lu&> by when e ght days were accomplijhed do mean the eighth
day current Luk. 2. %i. and the fzmc SvjLuke by after five days do
mean the fifth day current (inclufively ) Aff. 24. 1. And S. Mat hew
(Chap. m. g.) and S Math (Chap. 8. 3 1.) by after three days do mean
the third day inclufively y why fliould not S John (Chap. 20. i(5.) be
thought to fpeak the lame language, by after eight days meaning the
eighth day inclufively. Efpeciaily, when there is no appearance of
itafon to-the contrary, lave that it doth not favour your Fanfy.
And Levit. 2$. 15-, 16. Te frail count unto you } trom the morrow
after the Sabbath {from the day that ye brought thejbeaf of the wave*
offering) [even Sabbaths IbaU be compfeat ; even unto the morrow after
the feventb Sabbath fl)allyc number fifty days. Which cannot be, un*
lefs the firft and laft day be taken into that number, inclufively. And
if thefe ( with what \ faid before ) be not enough, you may find
many more if you plcafe to fearch.
Alike reckoning we have, concerning Cornelius, KSt. 10. Corne-
lius faw a Vif ion about the Ninth hour of the day ver. %. ( that's one
day.) When the Vifion was ended, he prefently fent twofervantr
zndzfoufdier for 7V/<r, ver. 7, 8, as ho was dire&ed. On the mor-
row ! that's a fecond day) Teter went up to pray about the fixth hour f
and faw a Vifian likcwife, ver. 9. &c. Which being ended, the men
who were fent from Cornelius, were (by that time) come, and en»
fuiredht him, ver. 17, 18. He went down to them y called them in f
and lodged them that nighty »ver. 3.1, aj. On the mormw (that's *
Part If. The ChriJtUn SaUath. r 9
third day) be vent with them from Joppastx. 23! On the mono*
*fter (that s a fourth day) they entered into Cefarea, where Census
waited Jor them, (ver a + j who tells him (ver. 30. 1 Four days ago
Wwsfaftnig &c ( relating the caufe why he feat for Peter.) Now
it that ( bcore this) was four days ago, this (after that) raufl be
days ajter ; which was (as is roaniteft.) the fomthday, inclufively.
L u l T m ? y 6 more to tll,s P ur P ofe in ta y fiiftoafe p. 20, at, il
■which I do not repeat, becaufe you feem to think (Sep. 0. n.>
[there is too much already. \ r 1 1
JWmbave never heard, you fay, much lefs do IVe commonly fo [peak;
-that after eight days, is that day fe'nnighti I luppofe you lav the
■mphalis on IVe; that is, IVe in England do not commonly fo
ipeak. But, you know in other lanaiages (and, I think, inrf
other ) they do io fpeak. I need not tell you that, What we calU
* might, a Fortnight, the FiencliVall huifi fours, winze fours,
that is, Eight days Fifteen days 1 Nor need I tell you that S.Lttke
did not fpeak k.ngl,fh, nor did he live in England.
But,after all this ienfing (PmuMjot call uplifting) do yoti indeed -
Mink that after eight days, in this place, is not meant of the fame
day in the next, week] And do yon 10 think (as you phrafoit) with-
out doubt orjcruple ? You fay ( Sep. p. lt ) you do not difcern buc
thnitmaybe (the fecond or thirddavof the next week) but do
Jou think // is jo ? Confider of it. And if what I fay now benot
enough, look over alfo what I laid before.
And you do not produce any place where this form of Speech is 0.
Wferwiie to be underfbed. Onely two places you mention, where you
hinkpolfibly//*^. Which I lhall confider. MaLx6.x.Tckmw
'bat after two days is the Tajfover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be
crucified: J eems to be meant (you (ay Sep. p\ 2l .) after two days exchi.
freiy, that is, excluding the day on wbichthat was faid. If you think
0, I cannot help it. Nor can you help it if I think otherwife.
'take it to be thus, Afttrtwo days, otthet -e are but two days ( to
Tnf d / onioirou 'l (at evening) J Jhall eat the Vaflmr, and
1 7 t b i tra y edt0 tewifod'- And ver.a.' while (in the mean time)
J, cl,ie ftrtcjh &c. (we are told ver, 3,4, y) were affembled. con.
Wmg how they might take Jefus by fnbtfety and tyl him. After
wnich 10.lo.ws prefently, ver: 6. Now when Jefus was in Bethany,
\]>'z. the lame day ; there came aWdman {-viz.' Mary the Sifter of
Uzarus ) n h. u. z .) with an Mtfier Box of Ointment, and poured
«« his had, ver. n. IVhich when the difciplesjawit, they (that is,
one ot t hem, meaning Judas Ifcatiot, Joh. 1 1. s ) (aid. wherefore is
"* waft, it might have been Jo!d and given to the poor &c ver. 8, 9.
C i "* {net
20 Tk Chrtpsn Sabhatk Fart II.
mot that he cmedfor tk poor, fat becaufe he had the bag, Joh. n. 6.)
To whom when Jefus had given an unpleafing anfwer, The poor you
have always with you^z. tw,I%t#U,iJ. then Judas went unto
the bkb Prifts, and agreed to betray him, ver. 14, ly, itf- Acw
pft day of unleavened bread ( the latter of thofe two days ) the dh
faples came unto Jefus faying, 'where wilt thou that we prepate the
fafs-wer&Q. ver. 1-7,18,15. Now when Even was come, he fit t
SJownwiththeTweke &c. ver. ao. And the fame night (being the
latter pf the two days mentioned ver.z.) he was betrayed by Judas i
as follows in the Chapter. The words After two days being taken
indufively. ,
A like Anfwer may ferve for your other Infhncc (tor you have
but two) concerning the Two Witnefjes Rev. u. 11. After three
days md an half the fpirit entered into them, and they flood upon then
feet &c. that is, AfUr three dtys and an half were come ; (not after
three days and an half were paft,) as it is every where elie. Nor do
you sive us one inltance to the contrary, where it niuft be other,
wife underftood. And yet I mult not call this trifling, or fay that
lam forryto fee it. For you yet infill upon it Sep. p. U< that // ft
not jo weak, as the Voflor reprefents it. ,
But, you fay further, Sep. p. 24. If after eight dttys did here m
elude tbefirft of the eight, and exclude the day after the eighth, ( as
doubtlefs it doth ;) Tet here is no abrogating the Seventh-day-(abbatk }
nor mftituting the Firfi, This you fliould have faid at firfi, ( without
quareling at after etgbt days.) But we are not now inquiring What
is to become of the Seventh-day, ox Whether the Firfi thai! be called
a Sabbath ; But, whether here be not a fecond Precedent for celebraj
ting the firfi day. And thefc Two Precedents^ in the Two Ftrft
Weeks from the Refurre&ion, are Precedents of Chrifi himfelt
with his P/fciples; and a good Pattern for them and us to follow.
On how many more firft-days he did fo appear to them, we knovi
not ; We do not read that he did, nor do we read that he did not.
The next Precedent is that of Tentecoft. {TJifc, p. Chrifi
on the day of the Refurreftion (the firlt day of the week) had Jtfi
newed his promife of fending the Holy~Ghoft { Luk. 24. 4? - ) and oft
the day of Pentetofi (the firU day of the Week alfo) he Fulfilled thJ*
- promife, Aff. x. in a miraculous manner. They were all with ont
neat din one place f ver r. (they were qnanimoitfty affefflbled as oft
a folenm occafton,) when the Holy Ghoft fell upon them in the
iwilitude of Ckven.Toiptes, ver. 2, 5,4. And 'Peter preached to*
great Congregation {v\Parthians y Medes, Ekmites, &c. vn\ 7 Aft
io, u, \%*) upon thatoccaiion, ver, &c. and with fo good (u^
Part II. Tk Chriftian Sabbath 2 f
cefsj as that the fame day were added to them about three thoufand
fouls, ver. 41. Now that here was a very fokrnn Religious Affembly
on the day of Pentecoft, attended with fuch Miraculous Succefs,^
do not deny ; But will not allow it to be the firfi day of the weefc
Sep. p. ?<S. Tm know (you fay ) no Word for that, nor other ground
hut Conjectures, and ibme Romifh Traditions in the cafe ? I thought I
had proved it very plainly Dift. p.37, 38. (not out of the Swuins,
but) from Levit.\$. (ol which you pleafe to take no notice.)
The Wave-offering was to be the morrow after the Sabbath ver. n.
trnd ye fija/l count toyou from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the
day that ye brought the Wave -offering, [even Sabbaths pall be compkat,
even unto the morrow after the feventh Sabbath fhallye number fifty
days ; and then was to be the feaft of weeks or Tentecoft : And is
aot the morrow after their Sabbatb,tht fa ft day of their week t Which
proof isfo clear, that you thought belt to fay nothing of it, but
mher to talk of Romifh Traditions, If the word Tenteccft difpleafe
ilou (that is, the fiftieth day,) infteadof what is called the feaft of
Weeks, Deut. 16. p, 10; I had it not from any Romifh Tradition,
but from AH. i. 1. and 1 Cor. 16. 8.
\ Now if I were as fond to ftretch ( for an Inflitution ) as fome-
times you feem to be ; how fair an opportunity is there from hence
to urge, that, befide the weekly Sabbath on the Seventh day, God
hath here appointed the feaft of Tentecoft, on- the morrow after the
Sabbath , which feaft of Pentecofl was to be a Sabbath alfo {no fer*
Vtk work to be done thereon, Levit. 23.1. and your felf call it a Sab-
hath, Rep. p. 48.) as if it had been dejfigned as a type or forerunner
of the Chrifi ion Sabbath to fucceed on the morrow after the Jewijh
mihatb. I might urge the fame from the Wave -offering, ver. io,ti,
which was alfo to°be the morrow after the Sabbath^ ver. n. and 'tis
called the feaft of firfi fruits; Te JbaUbringa Sheaf of the Firfi
Fruits of your harveji, ver. 10. before which Jirft fruits fo brought,
they were not to eat any thing of the harvefl, neither bread f nor
parched corn, nor green ears, vex. 14. And with allufion to this Feaft
%f firfi fruits (on the morrow after the Jewifh Sabbath) Chrifi (ri-
ling on the firfi day of the week ) is faid to be rifen from the dead,
the f j ft fruits of them that flept, \ Cor. i$\ 20. and again ver. 25.
Chrft the pft fruits, afterward thofe that are Cbnjl; which/rtf
fruits , both in the Type, and in the Anti-me, was to be themonow
ijtei- the Seventh-day fabbathi and it felf a kind Sabbath alfo>* holy
Convocation, cn which no fervile workjliail be done. Which two Feaifs
{of the Firfi -fruits raid Venteaft) ieem to be the fore-r tinners of
another Sabbath to be m the morrow after the Seven th-dayjabbatb.
But
gitized by the Q
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22 The ChriftUn Sdtatk part II.
But you tcl] us Rep. p, 36. Tifl you can prove by the IVordtht
-Pentecoft was on the SeventbJay-fabbath, and not upon the firft day cf
the JVetk. By what/j^W? certainly not by the Word of God; Fof
that ftys exprcfly tomorrow after the Seventh Sabbath Lev. 13,1c,
Ymi fay, C brill Kept the Tafs-over on one day and the Jews on another.
What then? On whatever day Chart kept the Pafs-over, thisdorh
not make the morrow after the Sabbath mi to be the fir jl day of the
Week- Tou do not certainly knovo (you fay) what was the fiftieth day
from the true day on which Chriji and his drfcip/es J^pt the Pafsover,
Nor is it any thing to the purpofe if you did know it. Tis your
great millake here (and again p. ^8.) to think tkcftfiydqys are to
be reckoned from the day of the 'fa/s^er: they are to be reckoned
fronuhe day of the Wave^ojfering, the morrow after the Sabbath (on
which was to be the Wave-offering) and fifty days from thence is
exprefly called the morrow after the feventb Sabbath. A like miftake
it is when you take the Month Nifan to be the firft New- Moon after
the Pernal Equinox, Enq./>. 121, and that the Month or Moon Nil a*
began after the Vernal Equinox > p. 122. For the Month Nijan of
Ahib, was that whofe Full-Moon was next after the Vernal Equinox
(or which was reputed fo to be) though its New-Moon was oft be-
lore it, and might be fourteen days before. The fourteenth day
might be before the Equinox, if but the Fifteenth day (the day of
the FuU~Moon, firft day of the Feaft ) were on or after the Equi-
nox : oratleaft, by the Prieft reputed fo to be. But what you fug-
geft as doubtful, p. i % i. whether the fourteenth day was not reckoned
from the day of the Equinox^ is yet more extravagant. For how can
the fourteenth day of the Month be the Fourteenth day from the Equi*>
noXy unlefs wc would fanfy the day of the Efuinox to be always
New-Moon. But this doth not concern our contrive rfy.
And this confidence (of proving it by tbe (Voi d to be the Seventh*
dayfabbath when the Word fays exprcfly it is the morrow after tk
Sabbath) is like what you tell us Enq. p, 4 j. and do again iniiit upon
it, Rep. p. 3?, 36. of Cbrifls Afcvifion on the Sabbath-day; ( andthe
day of Judgment likewife.) When yet in the fame Chapter the time
of Chrifts abode with them after his Refurreftion is exprefly faid
to he forty days, Aft. 1,3, (of which the day of his Refurre&ioA
was the Firft, and the day of his AfcenUon was the Laft;) And, if
ihe firft of thefe Forty were (as is copfssft) the firft day of the week,
how is it poifihle that the laft of the F<?rty can be the Seventh-day f
But fee how far Fanfy can carry a man, when it works ftrongly ! )
Butbecaufe you do yet infill uppa it (Rep. p. jj>}6.) thacGir^J
dfccnfion may be, on a Sabbath day f nomthihuding fc clear a proof
frori
Part IT- The Qhrifthn Sdbath. 2 >
'om Scripture, that it was thefy? ot four ty days, whereof the M
^Sunday and therefore the laft mult needs be Thurfday y not *1
"T > *i] h * d p- 3 J, in Anfver to vour En*. „. . .
'JlJconiider once more what you bring for proof of it
Two things vou offer by way of Argument, Firft, that it is faii
iMount OJtvet ( rrom whence Chrift aicended) is fiid to be about a
ftibzth days journey from Jtrufalem ; and therefore on a Sabbath-day
■nd then, that Chrift and his dftiples were then affembled and
Vhrifi preached ; therefore on a Sabbath-day. Which I fhall confidcr
mdtinaly,
i:As to the firft, You tell us Rep p. 3* that a Sabbath Jays <cm.
f.was of old efteemed about two miles; (how old, vou do not tell
:) now what's tbis but Tradition ? And 'tis agreed, you take it by
tographers, that tShhunt Olivet is about two Miles from7erufaJem.
Admit it he fo, what then ? The Cities of the Levites (vou fay) were
breach two thoufand Cubits from without theCity 7 Numb. \$ s
Tills, I doubt, is a miftake, for it is, ver, 4. the Suburbs of the Cities
Wnh youjhall give to the Levites JhaB reach from the Wall of the
my and outward^ a thousand (not two thoufand) cubits roundabout.
« that from without the City was but one thoufand Cubits ; but
>m the middle was to httwo thoufand, as at ver. 2e JhaSmca-
v from without the City; (that is, inward from theutmoft bounds
tothe middle of the City; for fo the words are (michxts lagnir)
jrofn without to the City, ) on the Eatl fidt two thoufand Cubtts, and
™ South Jide two thoufand Cubits, and on the Weft-fide two thou^
^Cubits, and on the North-fide two thoufand Cubits, and the City
be in the midfe this pall be to them the Suburbs of the City
it 15, the utmoftlompals of the Suburbs, in the midft whereof is
City. But in ver.^. the City is not meafured, but from the
U of the City outward; for fo the words are (mihkir bagnir va-
tf a ) from the (Vatt of the City outward: So that from the utmoft
ids to the wall ^ was one thoufand Cubits, and from thencstothe
*Mc was another thoufand Cubits; and therefore the length or
Ith of the City from Wall to Wall, two thoufand Cubits ; (not
Miles.) and from the utmoft bounds of the Suburbs, to the midft
tthe City, was two thoufand Cubits : And, if you mean thus, we
"iai to this point agreed. You tell us alio that in Jojh. 3. 3, 4.
'» the Ark was for n toward Jordan, the people were to go after it*
there was to be a f pace bet ween them and it, about two thoufand
Hts by meafure, they were not to come nearer to it. Admit this
• What then ? Is it any where in Scripture faid that two thou-
'd Cubits is a Sabbnthdays journey! Now what tbofe Cubits in.
x me a*
Digitized by the C
itist Research
^ Tk thrift** Sabbath. Part. El
meafuredtd extend^ the Jews, voufay, could beji tell us, (perhaps
better than You or I) bin what then ? WM thought it (you fay ) +
bout two Miles. What's this but Jewifh Tradition t it they did fa
But pray tell me, Which of all their Rabbins tells you that tw\
tboufand cubits^ are/w miles ! Mr. Ainpworth in his Annotations
on Exod. 16. (from whence I fuppofc you borrow mod of this)
who was acquainted with the Jevcsznd the Jetvi/h meafures better
than fo, mafees it not above me mile ; Jx Italitm or EngUp Mrft:\
(and 'tis indeed not fo much :) why do you make it twice fa mucbfl
A Mile {miUefafus) is a thoujand paces, and tmmde, is tm thm\
fandpaces, Can you think a thouj'and cubits are as much as a thm
fond paces f No,nor half fo much. For a cubit is but about half ay ar^
that is one foot and a half, or eighteen inches ; and a pace njhe foil
You are out in your Meafures therefore as well as in your Humbert
It had been ihorter work ( if you had a mind to let us know
what you think tp be the lengtfrof a Sabbath-days journey) to baj
laid in brief, 'lis agreed by Geographers that Mount Oliyet isfr&\
Jerusalem about two miles, which is here called a Sabbath-days jof*i
my ; and therefore a Sabbath-days journey, is about two miles. Whicb
had been plain and eafy, without troubling your felf or us ( as y#j
fpeak) with dark cwje&ures and jeme uncertain (not Rornilh, but)]
fewijb Traditions^ which you can make nothing of Thofe (Rabbins)
who think a Sabbath-days journey to be tm thoajand cubits, do frt
think it to be two miles i and thofe who think it to be two Mi*h
think it tube much more than two thouj'and cubits (for thefe mea-
fures are inconfiftentj) nor do I know that *ny man before you,
did think a cubit to be five fie t.
But, be it more or lefs, the length of a Sabbath-days journey Jj
nothing to our purpofe ; The text fays, Then they { the difeiple&)
returned to Jerusalem, from the dMomt called ! Olivet ? % iw \yy*t 'fy*
which was near to Jerufalem (and therefore it was not far H
go) but how near? AftoN i& US* containing a Sabbath-days jm
stey. But what then ? If a Sabbath-days journey were then the knotfi
name of a Jewifh tneafure, was it not as near on a Thurfday, as od*
Saturday t 'Twas near, he tells you, and how near ; but he doth fl*
tell you w what day. Nor need he ; for when he had before
fied that it was the fourtieth day from the Refurreftion, which
on Sunday (thefirftday of ttie week ) we might know (withe*
telling) that the fourtieth day muft needs be Thurfday^ (the fiW
day of the week) not on Saturday, the Sabbath day. But becaufe
the diftance is here defigned by the length of a Sabbath-days jot*r*$
known length, it fcems, arnongft the Jews) you fonfy it nu*
Digitized bv the Cp
PartIL ThtQhriftim Sabbath. „
needs be «r the Sabbath day, (as if it were not the fame length every
day ai the week:) And this fan fy, oiuft bear down CocktrapZ}
that it could be no other than Thurjday, the fifth day of the week
as being the laB offourty, whereof the firfl was Sunday. It feem,
GtiZV™"** jVt "^"Hty would be mnui-
ficive When and Where fo confidence a thing happened as was
our Saviour Afcenjion, and whereabout that place lay ■ So he tells
them it was he Fourtieth day from his SefurreBion on the firs!
day of the week, it was from a place called Mount Olivet, which was
near to Jerufalem, and no farther from it than a Sabbath Jay walk
t, You ^ r «<>nd Argntnent, which I promifed to confider, was,
, That Cbrttt and his Dijafles were then ajemhled, and Chris! preachl
ed. Enq.p.^ Now it you admit this as a good Argument to
( prove it a Sabbath day; I think it ferves our turn better than
' yours. For, that Chriil and bis 2)ifciples were affembled on the
the day of the Refurreflion the firfl day 0 f the week, is certain
• and pait difpute : And it is as certain, that he did then preach to
' ? em ' r ,? ut how doth it appear that he preached to thein on th?
j Jay ot his AJcenfion ? It's like enough that lie did ( on whatever
day it happened to be ) give them a Farewell Difcourfc ; hut it
f U not here /aid Co. Tis faid indeed that during the fourty days
wherein he was feen of them, he had given commandments to He
^pojiles, to whom he hajjbewed himfelf alive after his Taffm b«
many infallible proofs fpeaking to them of the things pertaining title
kingdom of God ; and had (when he ajfembled with them) commanded
them to wait atjernfalem till they jbould receive the Holy-Ghosl.as he
had before promifed them, (A£b . . 2, j,^ which I do acknowledge
to be f reaching : But on which of the fourty days he thus preached
( we are not told m this place, ( but only that it was daring thefe
fourty days : ) ^ut in Luke 24. ver. 3 <S. to the end of ver. 4 p. { and
in the parallel places m the other Evangelifts ) we ae told m
; vbat iity All this was done, namely, on the day of his RefuneHion.
00 that, if this preaching, to them Jfjembkd, do prove a Sabbath,
day, it proves the firfl day of the week to be a Sabbath. We find
nothing new on the day of his Jfcenfun, ( Ait 1. 6, 7 ) but his au-
jwenng to that queftion, JTiU thou at this time refiore the kingdom
to Ijrael ? to which his Anfwer was, // is not for you to know the
times andjeafons, &c. And I fuppofe, it is from the clearnefs of
wis my Anlwer, that in your Reply p. jy, 36. von think fit to
wave this Argument. I am here, only to beg the Readers par-
oon, lor holding him fo long in the Anlwerine of thefe two Acur-
»ents, which did fo little need it.
D The
t g fk Chrifun Sabbath. Part II
The next Precedent is from ASs ia -> which, though zfingle
infhncc, doth fairly intimate an ufua! praffifr of fo doing. Upon
the fir (I day of the week, when the Vifciples came together to break
bread. Taul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and
continued his jpeech until midnight, Tis here plain, that on the fir ft
day of the week there was a Religious Apmbly, as appears by their
religious exercile therein \ and that it was a Chrtjltan Affembly, tor
it was the Dtjaplcs were thus jiflembled, and they were aflerable^
to break bread, a Chrifiian Service ; and ( as appears by the circum-
fhnces)agreat Aflembly, it was the Dfciples (wr va*w&* ) not
( *,£>) fome of them; and fo many as to be mounted up to the
third loft ver. p. and Paul preached to thera a long Sermon, contu
nuing his jpeech till midnight. Which I take to be z fourth Precedent
of celebrating thefirftday for religious fervice.
To this you make many exceptions, (that the number ot them
Tiiavfupply their want of weight.) ' t t
Firft you except, (Enq^.^.) this is but once, it is but one Fact
(And this One, Once, is repeated more than once, twice, or thrice,
gnq, n we have it ten times within lefs than the quantity
of one page.) But one fuch Precedent of celebrating the Seventh day
Sabbath, ( after Gods Refting Gen.*, i, jl and before that of ExU\6.)
would do you fpecia] fervice, if you could find it. And this once is fo
fot down as fairly to intimate it was wont fo to be. And the fir ft day
of the week, when they were come together to breakbread, 7>aul preach*
edfrQ. would fairly intimate to a candid Reader,that they then came
together to break bread as being the fir ft day of the week; on which
they nfed to come together for that purpofe. I had put a cak,
Diicp. 58, ( which you have not thought fit to anfwcrJ it you
could find in the Book of Job, that on the feventh day of the week
when Job and his friends were afjembled for the joynt fervtce of God,
Bildiidfpake thus, &c. whether you would rtot think u a eood proot
that the feventh day Sabbath was then wont to be obferved ? I put
the cafe again for you to confide r of '
You then except {if I undedhnd you aright) to the word Preached.
For fo your words are, Em. p. {* t0 objeffto*
( that is, to our Argument from this place ) the Reader (you lay)
may tak notice that the Greek word here l?reacbedYis the fatnt
word which is rendered [Reafened] ABs 17, 2, and Ms \ 8. 4-
Which I do not fee how it can come m by way of Anfwer to our
Argument otherwife than by extenuating the word Preached,**
too high a word for this place, the fame Greek word (Jtafipit ) be-
ing elfgwherc tranOattd ReafonU To which my anfwer was
Part 11 The ChriftUn Sabbath. 2 7
this (Difc.p.ip.) Beitfo; and, if that word will pie afe him belt ei ,
let it befo here ; Be Reafoned, t>ifcourfcd, Treated, or did Hold-
forth ; (that, I think will mt alter the cafe ; J and he Continued or
Held-cn {^inm ) this Difcourfe, this Speech, this Sermon t
Sermonem) till mid-night ; he hetdon this Holding-forth till mid-
night ; ) which I take to be the fame thing with what we now call
Preaching, or very like it: ('twas a long continue d'Dij tour ft 7 to a
' Congregation met together upon a Religious account, for the Service of
God ) But let it be called ( if he pleafe ) A Religious Difcourfef of
the Holy Apojile, to a Congregation of Chriflians, met together foi
fuch a purpofe. This is the whole of what I faid on this occafion/
L 1 But with this you are highly difpleafed ; Repl.p^i. He renders
I (you fay) J)*^ Holding-forth; (No, The Dr.renders h?reached t
but gives you leave, it you like that word better, to rendc.
Held forth ; ) and this rendering Holding-forth the 2)r. does twice \
And p. i%. This (of fuggeftmg Reajbned intezd of Preached) the
PoSorfeems to take offence at: ( No ; but allows you fo to reudci
I it) and gives leave to render it Taul did hold forth * ( yes, or by any
of thefe other words I mentioned; ) and [tnjiead of He cwtmu$d
his fpeech ) that he Held on his Holding forth till midnight. Which
Ixpreffton of Holding- forth hath been much abujedinthis Age by fome
Men, againff Eminently Holy and Learned Non-conforming Mini-
' fters } when they have been accufed as Male favors for preaching the
Gofpel y to fcorn, reproach anddefpije them as Holders forth, &c. And
the Exprefjion of Holding-forth being ta{en in an is and defpightfut
jenje by fome who fo ufe it ; I think the Potior might have (pared
: to put it upon <paul 7 who in preaching Chrift was then a Noti con-
formist Minifler; and it feems, if it were not written incautehufly,
to be Highly Blamable. In which Expreffions of Holdmg-forth 7
with others afterwards which refer to Spiritual Fraying and Traifwg,
as this does to Preaching the Gojpel, (Does the Doftor any where
fpeak againft Spiritual Praying, ^raffing or Preaching t ) the DoBor
goes m bad Company, and I doubt highly gratifies them while he
writes fo agreeably to their Language. IVhich words of the Zfoftor,
however written with fome feeming foftnefi, are a very III Bleat, if
they were meant, which I hope they were not, as they are commonly
underjiood by all Good and Sad Men that I know. And all this but
for Naming the woiti Holding-forth, though with allowance.
• Now what need all this ? Tantme animis coelejlibus ira ? Do
Hot you know, that the Phrafe of Holding-forth was taken up by
Non-conformifts t about the Year 16*42 or 1643, as I remember,
( at Ieaft I do not remember to have heard it fooner : It might
D i perhaps
ftv.entist Research
28 The CbrijtiM Stbbtib. Part II.
perhaps by the Dijfenting Brethren be brought with them out of
Holland) and in contradiitinftion to the word Preaching? and ufed
by them ( or fome of them ) fo long and fo frequenly, till it began
to be thought a ridiculous AffeEiation, and did afford matter of
Drollery to thofe that a mind to be pleafant ? ( And whether or
no the word be yet left off, I do not know ; though now the word
Speaking be come in ufe in the fame fenfe. ) It was taken up upon
this occafion ; when it grew frequent for Gifted-Brethren ( if I
may fo call them without offence, as they were wont to call them-
felves) to fpeak publickly in their Meetings 5 they were then fliy
of calling this Preaching, but called it ( by a fofter name ) Holdings
forth ; and 'twas ufual to ask, IVho heldforth to day t But when
they began to be laughed out of this, it was then lVho did fpeak to
day t Not thinking it fit to call it 'Preachings when the Speaker^
was not a Minifter or other Churth-Officer. And I know no
great hurt in the word (faving that it feeps a Needlefi JffcHation, )
For to Sew forth, or Hold-forth {exhibere) are in themfelves no
bad Exprefiions, ( and the beft words that are may be drolled-upon,
or turned into Ridicule, by thofe who have a mind fo to do 5 ) and
therefore (though I would not choofe to ufe it, yet) if others pleafe
fo to fpeak, I can admit it. And,in this place, if vou do not like
the word preaching, I am content jou make ule of your own
woid } or any of thofe mentioned, or any of a like import : For,
what ever yon pleafe to call it, this jDifcourfe of "Paul to a Chri-
ftian Congregation, was at lcaft a Religious Exercife on tht fir ft day
tf the week; Which ferves the prefent Argument as well as if you
call it Reaching. And I thought I had accommodated the mat-
ter with fuch a temper, as might ferve both ; If you neither
like the word Preaching, nor Ho/dingforth ; Let it be called a Reli-
gious Wfcowrfc, of the Holy Apoftle, to a Congregation of Chrtftians,
met together for fuch a purpefe. Which I take to be inoftenfive
words.
Bin 'tis further aggravated that the Doftor does twice fo render
it. No ; but does twice permit you fo to ufe it if you pleafe. And
truly if in the firffc place you render A»*i>r» by held-forth, it is
very proper in the fecond place to render t\ Ktyp by bo/ding-fortki
for xiy& is but a Noun from the fame Verb Aty*. And whether
**fimti be rendered by continuing or holding %n y is much one, for
they iignifie both alike : and then I know not what (in thisfecond
place ) fhould offend you anew, unlefs the paronomafia ( of holding-
on his holdingforth ) offend your Ear. And if neither preaching nor
holdmgfort h do pleafe you, I gave you the choice of a great many
other words. ' BuC
rt II. The Chrifoan Sabbath, a 9
But fince the Exprcffton of Holding-forth, hath been taken in an III
'Defpightful fenfe by fome, ( you do not charge me to be one of
fc Jome y znd therefore to this I fhall make no defenfe ; but onelv
t,zs to this word, \go in ill company,) again ft Eminently Holy at;
ned Non-conformings Minifter s ; you think ( p. 32. ) / might have
ed to put it upon Paul, who was then a Non-conformift Minifter
Preacher. Did I call Paul a Non-conformift Preacher? or is it
\ who call him fo ? (1 hope you do it not to dijparage Paul, but
credit the Non conformifts. ) Nor does the Doftor put it upon PauL
jfcy Paul 'preached, 'tis you find fault with that word, without
ng us what word you would have inflead of it. Which word
you do not like, I give you leave to ufe your own, or to take
ur choife of many more.
But muft all be right that all our Nonconformifts fay or do ?
d muft none of them be touched for what ever they do or fay,
ufe St. Paul, (you fay) was a Non conformift t May no body
to the difadvantage of Jews, Anahaptifts, Papifts, or Quakers,
rail thefe are Non-conformift s) or fo much as name the word
vying, becaufe (you fay) Paul was a Non-conformift? May we
name dMonkery, Monks andRomiJh Prelates, or Popijh Rebellious
"efts and Clergy, ( as Enq. p. 1 17, tn } \ becaufe Paul was a
conformift f I think 'tis too great a Privilege : and too great an
r-weening of your felves to expeft or claim it. Surely fome
on conformifts (for there be a great many forts of them ) may be
^td for fomewhat they do, notwithftanding Paul s being a Afa-
irmift.
Jfou might have called him a Conformift if you pleafed, for you
lis He came to the Synagogue, and preached there every Sabbath-
: which you fuppofe to comprehend and include all the reft that
requifite to the keeping the Sabbath ( perfeSlly as to Chrift ;
as to the Apoftle s, in their meafur e ) elje we fhould have read it
e objeffed again ft them, which we do not find, Rep. p. 3 3. He
ibis head at Cenchrea becaufe he had a Vow, Aft. 18. 18. He
*fd Timothy to be circumcifed becaufe his Mother was a Jew, Aft.
a. He would by all means keep the Feaft atjerufalem, Ad.18.z1.
ich you take to be the Paftover, Enq. p. 1 12.) and to that pur-
e went from Ephefus to Jerufalem, though he were thence to
urn again. And the like for Pentecoft, if pofjible, Aft. 20. 16.
" Aft. n. 20, 11,23,14, 16. He joins in the Ceremonies of
_ 'cat ion 7 with/i«r men that had a Vow ; and this to vindicate
ielf from the reproch which was raifed upon him (as a Non-
formift ) that he taught the Jews which were among the Gentiles
b 3 to
list Research
3 o Tk Chrijtwi Sdfotk Part It
toforfake Mofes, and that they ought not to circumcife their children^
nor. to walk after the cuftoms : to confute which calumny, he thus
complied, that all might know that thofe things whereof they were
informed concerning him f touching his Non-conformity) were not A
but that himfelf alfo walked orderly, and kept tk Law. (that is tW
Ceremonial Law,the Law fpokenof ver. it they (the Jews) whkh\
believe and are all zealous of the Law.) And when he was accufed as
faulty therein, he Hands upon hisjuftification, Chap. 14.1 1,1 1, 1
17, \8, 19, 10. and again Chap. 16.7,8,10,1 1 . that neither againB tk
Law ofthejfewsi nor again B the Temple, nor againB Cejar, had k
offended in afty thing, nor could they prove the things whereof they ac
cufed htm : And we find Lyfias, Felix, Fefius, and King Jgripjk
acquitting him, as having done nothing worthy of death or of bonds x
Chap. 13.13. Chap. 24.12,12. Chap.i?. 18,19. Chap. 16.31. ac-
cording to what he tells us elfe where, that to the Jew he became as*
Jew, and was as to the Law blamelefi: Phil. 3. «, 6. Though yet
you own, Enq. p. 1 13, that, after the death of CkiB, he was andtt
no obligation, to l$ep that FeaB of the Vaflwer, hut was, by his deatl
delivered from that as well as all other Ceremonies, which are d
nailed to his Crojl Now when he was thus compliant, though **
der no obligation fo to be, I fee not why yoti fliould reproach hun
as a Non-conformiB "Preacher. You might as well call him a
paratiB, becstufe at Ephefus A£t 19. 9. he departed, from thofe tht
[pake evil of the way, and feparated the Z)ifciples y difputing daily $
the School of one Tyrannus,
Part 11 The Chrifiian Satiatb. 3 t
language is Rep. p, S9, 60.) But, wherein he might without fm y he
Was content to become all things to all men, that he might fave feme ;
he was willing, for the advantage of the Gofpel, to comply in
glings which he thought Lawful, though not Neceffary ; as your
Mf own p* txi, 112. ) as to his kgeping the Tafover at
ntfalem, though under no obligation to keep it. And the like I take
lo be, his going into the>w Synagogue on their Sabbath-day ; his
fkcumcifing ltmothy; his Purification in the Temple; his Shaving
Mis head at Cenchrea, and the like. And fo ( for ought appears ) as
to the whole Mofaick Law.
,Nor is he to be charged (for his compliance ) as teaching one
fang and paBiJing the contrary ( as you feem to infinuate Enq,
|73.) For he taught indeed that the Gentiles were not to be
bought under the Toke of the Ceremonial Law ( to which before
icy were not fubjeft ) but he doth no where teach ( that I know
tf) that the Jews amongB the Gentiles might not obferve it, if
fey were fo perfwaded, He bids the Gentiles, to ft and faB in the
mrty wherewith ChriB hath made us free Gal. $ . 1 . Phil. 4. 1 . But
m doth no where forbid the Jews to wave that privilege ( if they
ijefe fo perfwaded ) uponajufl: occafion. And, according to this
Stoftr/w was his Traffife alfo, in CircumcifingT/ww/^/ (becaufe
jlis Mother was zjew,) but not Circunicifing Titus, ( who was a
■verted Gentile. ) And, 'tis your great mifiakenot todiftinguifh
fetween the Gentiles, and the yews among the Gentiles \ which di-
(Hnfiion ; if well confidered, would fct you right in many points
fame DoBnnes which werc^^ vou ftumbJe
Vindication of St. Paul: 1
that pafiage which doth fb
Preachers (one or more J be-
'twas Printed ; who' took no oflfenfe at it, nor made any ex*
r ,.on to it. And I think it had been your wifdom (if you had
DoRrine of the Church of England, who yet would not be though Ifct liked it ) at leail to fay nothing of it, rather than to make fo
Non-conformifts for fo doing. Now, whether you intend it for 2 teta tan om . cry f or no thing. What is that ill fenfe of the word
Reproach or a Commendation of Si.Paul to call him a Non-conformtiA^ whlcll ]S commonly underfeed ( you fay ) by all good and
however, when he makes it his buGuefs to Purge himfelf of ^Mrnen, I do not know. I mean it in that fenfe in which Non*
Imputation, and (lands upon his Juftification, that the Jews co^m^^jp wcre .wont to life it, for that of Gifted-brethren in con-
not prove it upon him (nor can you) but that he walked orderly ^Kdiftinaion to the Preaching of Non-conformift Mmiflers : 7 Twas
ieptthe Law, and was, as touching the rightcoujnefi which is /tf'Mfflone, as to my bufmefs, whether iWdid here fpeak, ( as you
Law, blamelefi: You ought not to faften neon St. Taul the pleafe jo call him ) as a Non-conformtB Preacher, or as a Gifted*
name of a Non-conformtB. Yet I do not take St. Paul to be juct nether ; for, either way, it was a Religious Exerclfe in a Chrifiian
Conformift, as to take All as he finds it ( right or wrong) with tw'Wembly on the firB day if the week
amongB whom he lives, or to Jml/ow all without chewing ( as yotf I l n t ^ e ttean w ^ p 0 you t j iere ^ nQt fcme m ; nent ly
Tis true., that St. Paul did preach
not pleafing to the unconverted
him a Non~conformiB y fo long as
Avhat the Mofaick Law required
perhaps you may think fo ) that fome of our own Confortnjfb j
may lometimes preach otherwife than according to the Ejiabli" J
w
^ The CfyifiUn Sabbath. Partll]
Holy and learned Conforming Miniflers (yes, and Non-conformfti
too ) which do obferve the Chriftian Sabbath, with whom you make
bold all along, as worjhipping the Sun apon Sunday, (beGde manj
other unhandfome infinuations,) when there was nooccauon lor it
Now, if you be not angry, ( as Rep. P ; ?8. you fay I am ) or!
your heat be a little over that we may talk calmly, I fee not wM
/ixfe* may not here be well tranflated Preached, as our Tranlh
tors have rendered it. That the word may be fo rendered, yd
do not deny ; for (Enq . p. 4 ?, jy. and Repl.?. 31.) you would have
it fo rendered Ac7. 1 7. and And why you would haven
fo rendered there, but not here, I can guefs at no other Reafon,but
one of thefe two ; Either becaufe our Tranflators there thave M
/tealne A and here Preached, and therefore ( becaufe there may
fome pleafure in contradiaing and finding fault ) yuu would have
the contrary : Or elfe becaufe, what is there faid, was on tie
Jewi/h Sabbath ( where you think the bigheil cxwcjjvm fit toM
ufed,) but in this place, feeing but on the firH day of the wed,
you think Preaching too good a word. But fince M\iy*» may be
rendered by either word, according as may belt fuit with the Cu-
cumllances of the place : I think our Tranflators haye with verj
nood iudement, fo rendered it as they have done in all thole placet
The Difcourfe of <Paul at ThefaJonica A& 17. x. and of Aquila »
Corinth A&18. 4. doth not feem to have been a Continued Dikout*
( fuch what we ufe to call Treaching ; ) but an Interrupted ConW
ttnct.(Z>iahg«e-y>iik) Convincing the yew and Greeks by way *
Arguings, Anfwers, and Replys : And while he did thus
Via/orue-wife, it was more proper to call it Rcafomng or VifpuW
(as M i", IT 18. 19- '9- 9 ) j!"* 811 . 11
and therefore was well rendered Reafoned in thofe places : Butji
the prefent place Jff. 10. 7. itwas a Continued difcourfe, not M
guingwith them, (by way of Dialogue) but making a contmuj
Speech to them ; which is therefore called t tip', not JWoyr, a*!
is fitly rendered Treaching. But whether in a Continued or Inm
rupted difcourfe, 'tis all one as to our Bufinefs; for Catecbtjing is»
Religious Difcourfe, as well as Preaching. And you are no way ad-
vanced in your affair, but quarrelling at the Tranflation.
Another Exception (I mufl not call it a Cavil, though that \voij
be frequent with you) is about the words To breakbread, wWj
you will not allow us to-underftand of the Lords Supper. But &
therdoth this advance your bufinefs at all ; for whether they J
or did not celebrate the Lords Supper, 'twas at lcaft a Chrtp
Ajfenv
'art II. The ChiftUn Sabbath.
Jembly ( and you affirm it fo to be Rep. M 3. ) on the firs! day of
Wc wet This breaking of bread, you fay £n f .p. s 6^7 ( to which
km refer Repl. p. 32. ) might be to receive the Lords Supper together,
bs doubtlefs it was) or it might be ( you fay )for common eating or
typing together ( as fi tends commonly do, .when a Mmjter or any fpe-
W acquaintance intends to take a journey in the morning, to/up with
m overnight.) But do you think this was fo? If not, to what -
jurpofe is this objection ? That Breaking of bread is elfewhere
fled lor the Lords Supper you do not deny, nor feem to doubt ;
tad why not here? I do not know that the phrafe is any where
Bed in all the New Teftament in any other fenfe. What you
Hege of Chrifts breaking the loaves andfifhes { Mat. 14. 1 9. and Mat.
k.36. and Mark 8. 6, 19. ) for a miraculous feeding of the multitude,
I nothing to the purpofe ; for that's another phrafe and form of
taech (on another occafion) from this ol breaking bread, indefi.
itely. What you allege of Paul Ad. 1 7. 3,-. when he had thus jpoken*
1 t0 L°ji l ' Mj Xave **** t0 Godtn prefcnee of them aU^mdwhetT
be had broken it, he began to eat ; May be the Lords Supper, tor
%|ght I know, with other Chriftians then in the {hip with him.
Tis the ft me form of fpeech with that of Chrift Luk.1z.19. Mat.
■.16. He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and 'gave them,
'tng,T tkg t eat, &c. And why it fliould not here be underftood in
/ fame fenfe, I fee not. If all in the ftiip were not Chriftians,
as it s likely they were not all ) yet 1 fee not why thofe of
*ltm which were fo, might not there celebrate the Lords Supper,
' that occafion. For St. Paul was not athamed to own hirafelf a
■piruW even in that company. And that of Atl. io.ii. fceins
|ainly fo to be, They came together to break, bread ver. 7. and
ydid breakjread before they parted, ver. 1 1 . (though interrupted
rtnle by the fall of Eutychur.) That is, they did celebrate the
r ds Supper ver. 11. for which they came together ver. 7. On the
1 8 day of the week, when the difcitks came together to heak\.Bread y
foul preached unto them being ready to depart on the morrow — and
*ben he had Broken Bread- he departed. Why fliould we not
wink this breaking of bread 'to be that breaking of bread for which
^bey came together. But I prefs this no further, becaufe Repl. p.
^M34- you feem content to admit it without farther infifting
[PV fave onely referring to what was faid before.
Another fcruple we have about tut ^rUnt ( for we muft difpute
•▼ery inch of ground ) and it comes twice ; as to this place of Atl.
^•7. and as to that of 1 CVr.io". x. whether pi* mffl*T*r do fignify
E the
Digitized by the (
Iventist Research
?4 The Chrtfiun Sabbath. Part II.
the fir ft day of the week: and you think much (Repl p. 34. ) that I
fhould call it trifling; which is, you fay, a hard word. (I could have
given it a harder word ; but know not well by whrtfofter name to
call it than trifling. ) It may be remembred y you fay (£*?.p. ? 7-) th *
Greek word fa Signifies Onf, and fa U is rendred (not the Firlt,
but ) One, about an hundred times in our Tranflation of the New Tefta-
msnt; and (p. 58.) fa <*i3£*r#r (which we uzntiztt the fir ft day of
the week ) you render by one of the Sabbaths, and to thd fame pur-
^°Now^tis very true that fa in Greek doth fignify One, (and it
may be fo tranflated, for ought I know, as often as you fay. ) But
if you were fo good a Cri tick as to correft the Tranflation, you
might have known that fa cannot fignjfy One of the Sab*
baths, for then it fliould have been W&gaW, becaufe oitfam is;
the Neuter Gender. Would you think Una Sabbatorum to be good
Latine for one of the Sabbaths? And you do not much mend it
when you fay, One of the week meaning One day of the week \ fot
if by one you mean Jome one, it Ihould then be frfe* no* f*<*
iulyt. And <SWat. 1 8. 1 . it dawned or drew near »< ¥ fa» to the one y
not to fome one day indefinitely, but to that certain which wa$
known by the name of fa o*iifidr<*r, and fo here ir t* pff in The
one, &c. And what that one is, you may learn in Mar. 16. where
what is called /ul<t c*&Mt*9 ver. r . is o*e&iia» ver. p. both fig«
nifying the lame thing the fir ft day of the week And in Gen. 1 . f .
where echadin the Hebrew, and fa in the Greek, do properly fig.
nify One, yet you fcruple not to render it (again and again) tie
evening ana the morning was the fir ft day, ( not one d#y, ) even after
I (hewed you that both in die Hebrew and in the Greek it is One.
For we are to underftand words in fuch a candide fenfe as in com*
, mon-intendment may be reafonably fuppofed to be meant, not ac-
cording to what force tuav be put upon them. As (in the inflanc*
I gave you, how flight foe ver you make of it,) five pound ( finely
confidered ) may fignify JSW pound of candles as well as five found of
money ; but he that fells a horfe for five pound fliall be prelumed to
intend it of money ( not of candles. ) And, though fa be Greek for
One, yet when the known fenfe of fa o*W*i*v is commonly under*
Hood to be what we call the fir ft day of the week, ( and no where
known to be ufed in any other fenfe) 'tis captious to render
one day of the week, thereby meaning/^ one. If I called it childs
play ( as you obje& Reph p. 34,) it is becaufe I thought you
liave been taught at School ( as I was ) that fa <m6&*7&f fignifics tbti
fir ft day of the week See more to this purpofc Life. p. 30,3 1. an* |
again
11 The QhriflUn Sabbath
thofe words, and this the wSti^r^i ^ d ^ bj
but it is not a literal tranflation 0 ^ Bal «Pwffion for it)
f /hus fupplied, fa (^ffiS^ bc E,, n ic ^ Md 2
l** ^Utoiir" *f«r the)
and the Propofition MbJoX
gich is the fame in fenfe with/K «*
Optical or ihort forms of^n^^A T/' And fllch
P very f am i Kar ln ^ f in word * of frequent ufe)
*4Fefi< (fubaudiTeSum \Ir "7 remember
* here argue, that there h<» m ,nV j" WollJd y<*» have
Winrftf, meaning a, / ?°> & frc&d « •
Carets fFcJiminftfr Lanil ft A?*' " } C ° rn ^ : H < l ™'
*f, ^nd T^^^^SfL ^^^^^
. t <MfJurj , meaning t be wharf (near t* ^v>l 2 ^
and you Sard S 5d ^- /# <^
*you wiJJ meet wnh fuch f theSu P f e I fcrl P«on ofaLetter,
t The Chrl&hn Sabbath. par f l }'
( as you would have it ) as £f faBe t0 fi, one hour
Wp day of the wttk, 1 iU « 1 fc j h J you wl |
cf/&* day, as to fay «* hour after twelve. oo r j k
i>fcn hereafter but tb « ^ was on / ratfm ,
that**/ did ta«*/ff*Auid«^^
Butfince you are now content to all v ^^J'+f t jf e Veek,
that by & «M-r»r w S'^tl ? an J nm be fo meant in this
and in We places ^^»^h^may add, that
place, and probably is fo me ^re |t° w y ^ do
ft do[h not appear any f^.XjL fo meant here J
offer any reafon or f c ^f°^\Tnot be offended with
it is every where elfe,) I hope you win i
me for calling it 1^ ^"""Trf
infift upon it) ttaat^iigmfies one II wan ^ g J
Mikhail, when u doth appea { f«h » ^"g ^ ^ ^
is onehour, and that it is /« ^'J^^f ^ W be thW
• at fix a-ckJL (or any other hour of day ) ana joj J i
Bet vou are content {En t P. ^f^i',!^^
promiii the matter-, you wilf allow ^J^^Z J S unM
week, if we will admit Sunday-mght to tegm « ' ^ 1
(Tha'tis, if it ™l r ^JTJ??&^»y*l™Wi
the week : otherwife, it flail J^jJ^^J/^rf forbear*
maybe fo;} ^dyouthmkto ^^iffi^rf the J
fay that any more that ?™'fZ$W 0 1 the ^torl
a/d continuing his ^^^^^1*5^ 4"' *S
(.that is, on Saturday [*X/&iper (on Satur5ay-n«fl
?aul preached to them aud talked long * «?* , J
part/d, Mfeemnh
that I >«W lW /A/J * fift' T^& Z orav fofl
part IT. The Chrifi*» Stbhtth.
of 7Ws preaching on Saturday-night, being ready to depart on *
Sunday -morning. And you allow your felf «£rwf in /M:
when you think // <Af J fo Jeem to them. But do you indeed
think fo 5 Or may I return you your own words, gepl.t}.^. I
hope you will not oblige me, or any other, to helieveyoufo think?
• But this is to ufher in another debate, at what time the day did
then beam ; of which conceit you feem to be very full ; that Sunday-
nkht was what others call Saturday. night, beginning at Sun-fet on
Saturday; and that this was the language there (at that time )
of St. Luke and the other facred Writers; and all this, became
ffche morning and the evening was the fir fi day, Gen. i . y .
Now I had (hewed it very plain, pije. *4. M\ ^g**
Li, ,2. that as well in the New Teltament as in the Old, xhtEve-
,Wwas always reckoned to belong to the^jy We find by
th/flory we have of Chrilts Reftrre&on ( Mat.iS. Mar. i + Luk
■44 Joh io.) that on thefirB day of the week, very early in the
morning, while it was yet dark, the women came to the^epukhrej
not oversight, ( though the Sun, at that time of the Year, did fet
about fix a-clocl!) becaufe the Sabbath was not yet paft , and Ithey
wttio reft on the Sabbath according to the Commandment. When
Jhey came there, the Body was rifen, and Chnft appeared to them,
and bid them tell it to the Difciples, which they did i after which,
Teter and John (from the reft ) went to the Sepulchre and found it
' to be fo, and brought fuch word back to the reft ; an I in the mean
time he fonldios ( affrighted ) told to the high Priefc what had
hanoened who gave them money to fay, The Difciples hadftolen
S the Bdy while they flept and all this happened ^ the
^Difciples went toward ^^A^^l^S^
the way. ) After that,they went on foot they walked) to £mmj
Ihich yJu allow to be jlven mile and a ha% ; when they camenear
xo Emmam, the day was far ftent, and they perfwade Chnft,
who Sed willing 7 to go flutter) to ftay with them ; » not
fceina convenient, unlefs upon forae great occafion, to travel ftr-
ther that St. He there ftayed with them, continued to preach
to hem and didwith them' celebrate the Lords Supper before
5Lv peKeived who he was. After this, they reoirne d to Jeru.
S another ftven mUes and half) and told this to the Difciples.
Af fr' vhkh Chrift alio appeared to them upbraided their un-
^cSSH ihei. FaS, preached ^gj^^^
his Death and Reforreawn out of Mofes, thePDlmj the 110
nhets- save them his folemn Benediftion, conferred on ™m tM.
&oly.G&; ordamed.thein to that office, and gave *emjg*j
yentist Research
3* The Chrijlitn Sabbath. Part II.
mifllon for preaching the Gofpel, and planting the Chriftian
Church, with Inflru.aions concerning it: Now can any man be-
lieve, that all this could be difpatched before fix a-clock ( the
time of Sun-fet at that feafon ) wlien yet it was fo late when they
* i! CW j D C v t0 if T aUS as that " was inconvenient to travel fur-
thcr t yet ail this was but the fame day in the evening, the firjl
day of the week, J 0 h. i o. 1 9. when the doors were (hut ( near bed-
^'K J he c da V herefo ?» which b «g a « before Sun-rifing, was
not ended at Sun-fet, nor for a good while after. Nor did the new
tll^V!^^ be g f " nin g of ) Evening ; efpecially ifvou
bring back the Evening fo far as to three a-chci Rcpl p, x8. or even
fo lynta-aay p. ap, * j *
The fame I argued from the day of the Crucifixion. 'Twas
Tfr,i ETOMg Wore the Crucifixion was over For 'twas after
11 \ (i hatI V u / N ? on ) ^'P&tedelheredhmtotbe
Jews to be crucified, and they led him away. Joh. i 9 . ,4, l6 . after
which a CroJ was to be provided for him to. carry to Mount S
vary (about as far from Jerusalem on the one fide ^Mount Olivet is
off &£2 \ ° h rV e , lh l? **J w ^ about two miles
off,) and it may be reafonably fuppofed they did not travel very
iaif, when he was to carry the Crofi all the way, or ( when hJ
' ■te^ tlt }^*l^P t **- When tlycime there
rSfa TJ ? bc Z eBed > f 1 hc M enedxo ft % "hich time
it might be about three a-clock or the ninth hour. And fome-
^ jMj^r the ninth hour ( that is after three a-clock ) he cryed,
Mt, Eh lammajabacbtbani; whereupon they.w^/h m, as call-
ing for Ehas ; and the two thieves (or one of them) reviled ' him
ItV HCy T Wt h ° W f3r 1 know not ) and fetched w/aTd
gave him^// and vinegar to drink; after all this (howlong af-
SLT k ?°y, no W™^^ ain ^ »P the
ff, And c t,s J lkel y en , ou 8h { though it be not exprfflv fa& fo )
TiXfT?"*?"^ th *n<™»Ptbe Ghofi; &at « Chrift
died on xUjame day fo at the fame hour, at which the fefcfirf Lamb
was to be facnfi G ed,<i/ the going down of the Sun. Deut. 16. <5 And '
If J be ? llfe thc y w " m *«* when it was time to %*
ffi*mfim theCrofi, ( that is, as you intimate RepL " X
S£ 8 °' 26 ' ft •/ » confonam lo tha of
7*A and Z>*tf.n. t? .) And then ( by the way) if the Thieves
tret al7 f v r * U °, lefs ^ did reach ^
But, after" all this, it was later yet when Jofepb begged
; c . his
'a" II. fk Chriftun Sabbath. , 0
is Body fomfikiei for 'tis exprefly faid, When Even was come
Wph begged his body; that is after Sunfet, (for n ,
fte pains to prove from many places, That the Evening doth be-
at Inuhjeti ) which was not granted prefently, ( for Pilate
lubted whether he were -yet dead, and demurred till he was fa-
o miles difiance from Jerufakm, after he was dead : ) and when
was granted, there muft be fome time to go back again from Pi.
te to Mount Calvary, and there to take down the body, tobuyfine
}en to wrap it m a clean linen-cloth, to bury it in his TomB;x^
to Sabbath was not begun, for after this, 'tis exprefiy faid that
»ywas the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on; Yet after this
e women, who jaw thefepulchre and how the body was laid, return-
home, ( from thence to ferufalem, I fuppofe ) and prepared fpkes
d ointments (the fame night) yet rejied the Sabbath-day according
the commandmgnt. But all this, you fay, might well be before
'■jet. Pray, how fo ? fince Evening begins at Sun.fet, Rep. p. 30 .
Evening was come before Jofeph begged the body of Pilate, Mat.%" t .
ft. if. Luk-zi. How then can, all that followed, be done before
-1 ? r ^ ym think " was > yo " ma y ccn «n u e fo to think, if
>u pleafc ; but you mufl give me leave to think otherwife. When
before fo much was done after the Evening was come { that is
:r Sun-fet) and the Sabbath not yet begun ; the Sabbath did not
'jn at Sun Jet as you would have it.
Nor did it End at Sun-fet the next day. 1 For the Women, who
M prepared Jpices and ointments the night before, might that
sight, after fix a-clock, have apply ed them ; ( for the darknefi would
Jot hinder them, it being then but jult pafl the Full Moon, if paffc,
ad they would it feems have done it the night before, notwith-
iranding the darknefs, but that the -Sabbath came on fo foon as not
to afford them time enough, and they did come the next morn-
ing while it was yet dark,) but, becaufe the Sabbath was not yet
over, and they were to reft the Sabbath-day according to the com-
mandment, they waited till the next morning before they could
tome to anoint the Corps. I add alio, that if the Sabbath had
{I jded at fix a-clock, and, the day after the Sabbath had then begun,
parilt might have rifen that Evening, (as well as the next Mora-
jog) for tlx third day had been then begun. Yet, on the other
kind, (fince 'tis mauifeft that Chrift was not buried till after Sun-
{ t ) if that Evening had not been part of the fix th day, he had not
|«n three days and three nights, (jhat is, three «ty»«j<i ) in the
*««•/ of the Earth, that is, in the grave. ( for-it had been but part
of
4D Tk CbrifiU* Sdfotk Part It j
of the fecond and part of the third, but no part of the ftrft) Tis
nianifeft therefore that the Evening at the end of thefixth day was
part of the Jixth day ; and the Evening at the end of the feventh day |
was Part of the feventh day (not as you would have it here, the firjl
day of the week.) And confeqnently Touts preaching on thefirft day
of the weektiU midnight ready to depar t the next morning was not
on Saturday-night ( and he to depart on Sunday-morning, ) but it was.
on Sunday -night and he to depart on Monday mormng. And therefore j
is from Midnight to Midnight) is not mi/laken, as there you think.
So AS. a 3- 3Z. The chief Captain being informed by Paul's
Rnfman of a confpiracy to kill Paul, ver, ip, 20, 21. gave order to
mate ready two hundred fouldiers to go to Cejareaat the Third hour of
the night ( which certainly was after Stmfet) to bring PatUfafe H \
Felix the Cover nour 7 ver. 23, 24. And the fouldiers, as was com-
manded themjook Paul and brought by night (Jd tit ™»?if, that night)
to Jntipatrh, ver, 11 . ji. On the morrow ( rjf iwvtmv ) they ( the
fouldiers ) left the horfemen to go with him, and returned to the Cajik }
ver. 3 1, fo that the next morning, was ( not the fame day, but) the
morrow after the third hour of the night foregoing. Which morrow
did not then begin at Sun-fet, but at leaft later than the third hour
of the night:. And you do acknowledge ( Sep. p. 29. ) that the Si-
mons then did resign their days from Midnight to Midnirbt, which
were therefore as you call them (wittily no doubt ) Midnigkudayr.
And you own, that our f nglifh Day is alfo a dMidnight-day f from
Mid-night to Midnight : and 'tis fo reputed in $ r eftmin]ferhi&
And To you tell us Enq. p. 8;. that from Midnight to Midnight, is the
Seining of this Kingdom. And what do you reply to all this Evtfj
dence ? The Evening and the Morning were the firjl day muft an*
fwer all.
I fliewed you further, that even in the Old Tejlament it was w
alto. The jPafchal Lamb was to be killed in the firft Month on tk
fourteenth day in the Evenings Exod. iz. 6, 18, Levit, 13.5. Nuniy
a8, id. jDent.16, 6. Do you think this to be that' at the e»
of the thirteenth day? No; but that at the end of the Four-
teenth day. And it muft be all eaten that nighty nothing of it muft
remain till the morning 7 Exod. 1 1.18,10. that is, not after Mid-nigh^
for when Midnight is part, Morning begins ; What, nothing of it tm\
the Morning of the Fourteenth day f Surely not fo,but not till the M^
ing of the Fifteenth day. For I will pafs through the land of Egypt thii
night (the night of this day, not to morrow-night, as if the nigh*
then following were the night of another day) and will fmitrw
W
Part II, Tk Chrifiim SMatk 4 j
the firjl born ver. 1 1. and it came to pafs at mid-night thai the Lord
fmote all the firfi-born of the land of Egypt ver» 18. lo that till mid*
night was the fourteenth day at evening, (not the fifteenth ) So
Exod. i z. 6, 8. on the fourteenth day they fhall Kill it at evening,
and they JbaUeat the fiejh that Night (but before Midnight) fo that
as well the Evening as the Night (at leaft till Mid-nigbt)irt: reckon-
I ed to the fourteenth day. Yet you would have all dilpatched before
Sun-Jet. Again, They were to eat it with unleavened bread, and all
leaven to be that night put away, and no leaven to be found in their
houfes 7 \er. 8. 18, 19, 10. What,«o leaven on the fourteenth day :<
furely there might. Seven days fhall ye eat unleavened headier. ij.
and f even days JpaHno leaven be found in your houfes, ver. tp. And
the firft of thofe Seven is the fifteenth oay (not the Fourteen th,)
therefore on the fourteenth day they might have Leaven ; bur
from the fourteenth day at Even they might not ; therefore the
fourteenth day at Even was the end ofi\\z Fourteenth day ( not the
beginning of it, and therefore not at the end of the Thirteenth
day ) and this evening continued till mid-night, therefore fo long
continued the Fourteenth day* Now from the fourteenth day at e-
veningy (that is, from the end of that Evening,) till the one and
twentieth day at evening, (that is, till the end of this Evening,)
ye fhall eat unleavened bread; feven days /hall no leaven be found m
your houfes ; ver 18, ip. of which feven days, the fifteenth is the
$rft. So Levit. 1 3 ,3 2; From even to even, I take to be from the end
iof one Evening to the end of the next, with which you are not
pleafed, Sep. p. But (you fay Sep. p. 30.) The Evening does begin
k at Sun Jet ( and take pains to prove it ; ) True ; But it doth not end
at Sun-fet: It continues till Mid- night. And from the end of one
kvening, to the end of the next, is from Mid-night to Mid-night.
And I have beSn told ( by Men of your Profeflion) that from the
day of the date hereof is from the End of that day \ that is, from
the Mid-night following. { And, you know, fome great Cafes have
turn'd upon this point. ) And in what ycucite, Em. p. 117, (which
place I doubt yon raif ttndcrflood ) about the Obfervation of the
rafeba (that is Eafter-day ) from the Fourteenth of the Moon to the
^Twenty firjl; the meaning is not that the Pafcha did all that while
[continue, but that thefe were the Smites Tafchales or termini Taf
ehales ( as they are wont to be called ) within which the Tafcha ww
to be kept ; that is, From the end of the fourteenth day, to the end
> *f the one and twentieth. Not fo foon as the Fourteenth day, nor
kter than the one and twentieth, but on that Lords-day (which
could be but one ) which did fall within thefe limits. Which is
F the
tist Research
42 The ChrifliM Sdfatk Part II,
the known meaning of tbofe words. So Levtt. ij. f, 6. The four*
teenth day of the fifji month at Even, is the Lords 9afs-over 7 and on
the fifteenth day is the feafi of unleavened bread; (even days ye muji
eat unleavened bread. And Numb %8. i6 } 17. The fourteenth day of
the firjl month is the Tafs-wer of the Lord; and in the fifteenth day ts
the feafi ; feven days pall unleavened head be eaten. So Num. 33,3.
They departed from Ramefes in the fit ft month^ on the fifteenth day of
the firji months on the morrow after the Pafs-over ; Now the Lords
Pafs-over ( wherein he flew the Egyptians and pafjedover the
Israelites) was about midnight on the fourteenth day at even; and
prefently upon it (before the morning light) the Ifraelires were
fent out on the fifteenth day, // came to pafs at Midnight the Lord
fmote all the jirft-born, — and Pharaoh rye up in the Nighty — md
called jor Mofes and Aaron by Night } and [aid Rife up y getje forth, —
jfnd the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might fend
them out of the land in Ha/i, — and the children of Jfrael travelled
for Ramefes to Succoth y &c, Exod. t%. ip, 30, 31, 37. So that jull
after midnight was the Morrow after what was jujl before midnight.
We have found therefore a mid-nightMy (as you call it) even in
the Old TeftamenL And Deut. 16, 6, Thou Jbalt facrifice the Pajs.
over at even, at the going down of the Sun^ at the feafon that thou
cameji fo thout ofEgypt 7 (which was, midnight^ Mxod.it, 4, Exod*
ii-ii,) So that from Sun-fet to Midnight is the time within which
rhe Tafs-over was to be Killed,md Ro^ed y mA Eaten^ni no part of
it to remain till morning } (that is not after mid nigh t ? for then morn-
ing begins ;) and what follows is the morrow after, and a new day :
That was the Fourteenth, This is the Fifteenth-
Bat in Exod. j%. 6. they fhall kill the Pafs-over in the evening,
at between the two evenings ; you take the firjl of theft evenings to
begin either at om three a-clock in the afternoon^ ot prefently after
JllidJay, between which mdSmfet (you fay) there might be time
enough to kill and drefs it without running up the time to midmghU
I will not here prefs you with what you take pains to prove Repfy^
p, 2.9,30. that the evening begins at Sun fet, when the evening comes,
is j when the Sun isdown y p. 30. { though I fhould think the begin-
ning of the ^ftf/^fhouldbe the fir/1 evening ,not the laffc) But I dc-
fire you to confult 2)eut. 16, 6, where you will find it was to be
killed j not at three a-clock in the afternoon^ nor prefently after mid-day r
but at the going down of the Sun, at the feafon that thou cameji out of
Egypt. Now, if it m«ft be killed at the going down of the Sun, where
fhall we find time to k}Uit y drefs it, rcaft it and eat it, without run-
ning up the time beyond Sun-fet? Whether //// mid-night ornois
not
Digitized by the Cej
Part II. Tht Chripan Sabbath. 4?
Zs Jr ?. Xn f I Tr M t T° l b fil^nth day, ( whereas the
K 18 al , t0 be ^tched' on the fourteenth^y ; and the fif-
run it up beyond Sun-fet, the next words tell you, at the feafon that
li?cTf? !Cf ^ P t> Which ^^miLglt: fo tffihtk
.f^j n? l U V h ^ hetmen the tm> evenings, hbemeen Sun-fet
SSh 11 P ? 4*™^ - hat tlU the ^of^LotdsTafs-over
TA^ Zi 9 \ 3S r He mSrn ? ahcr - The/ZWj day therefore
JhhL wTS I hen , llC V°« ld X'M the Oblervation If the
Kfore 1C ? had b "n Io "S! nterimited ( dunn 8 theCapttvity^nd
fhTJ^ft mh I g<m ^ be ^^efore the Sabbath, /commanded
if IT &C -^ 0t at Sm J' et ' bm when the Han ta
It ' Lr h "I^i 1 } 1 } a ,S°od while after Sun-fet, and vet even
tfcf t f ° r 'l heSdh J h - Tb < Sabbath was not yet begun, but
the Gates (hut, by way of prevention, when it grew toward tilt or-
IZ SfS^l I & 10 80 £ and out ; y« even then they were
Si ^ U[ i on occafion ' lhe y mi S ht be °pened to let m
0 dinary palTengers, (though not for thofe who brought merchan-
l^°Ji ° n , thC S^-ty*) »« d for that purpose left ikfir-
**ts at the gates, tbttthtre jbmld no Burden be brmght m.
nhJ?r«r 7?T ! " all , i ;" fon » y° u ought to have given fometolc
able anfwer to theft allegations, or elfe not tell us Rep. that
Xtply. Thefe allegations feem to me (and Ifuppole will fo to the
iS ! Tf? WCak i s , 10 be fli S hted - And ti]1 > ou have anfwered
«em, 1 ihall not eafily believe, that Pauls preaching to them at
tms m the firft day of the week, and continuing his fpeech till
18 to he underftood of Saturday night he being to depart
°n Sunday morning. ° r
J^txa^ ^hole/trefs is laid upon The Evening and Morning
*<>e the fiyfi day, we'll confider that a while.
vlZ l^i T K } T h r\ hl callin 8 " tbe Fir fi though vou
now that both^WintheHebrew,and F ( a in theGreek,dofignify
tt h-nglilh, (not the FtrH.) For though One while it is alone
F a (and
... The Chrijlian Sabbath. Part II.
• and fo confidered ) be, in propriety of fpeech, no more tbefirfl ? than
the k(l, ( tor fir/i is a Relative word, and there can be no
™khout CbwkJ yet if what was then but 0*r, be confidered
wi hTfoeaTo what then «« to be, and fince to* been, it may fo
confide e P d) be called the Firji. Nor would I have quarelled wi h
vo« if mftead of >/?) you had called it One day (as it ,s both m
Ihe Hebrew and in the Greek ) provided, by day, you do not
mean (indefinitely \ tome one day ( as if inflead of ^ « had been
Sf ^bitOne^ day; that day which, whea there
Should be another, will become the Fir* ( as had been in tfe time
when <W Wrote, though not on the day whereof he Spake;)
fo "hSryon cal'l it ol day (as then it was) or the
(as it was to be when there came a Second) is all one to me, ior tis
tU &3tf^&i» «br '« (« ™ d0) f e
£ W /tojfcr** *m thefrjl day, though you know tha
S the Original it 1S no more but there IVas Evening and theieWas
jZmnt hefrji day, and it is fo rendered in other Tranuations .
But I would ha"ve confider, that there can be no more cone In-
ded from it ( however we tranfiatc it ) than if it were fo tranfiated
I as it is in the Original. u* f*,A thne
If I then argue ( at the rate you do ) that though it be laid tbeie
ws Evening and there vas Morning the Fir f dap and t^uasevc-
ning and tkere was morning the Sixthday yet it w . not faid there
was Evening and there was Morning the Seventh day, (we do no
fo« nor isitfo^/^«;)and it you replv ( which vou will
not allow me to do) m may Aeafonablvfumfe that it was ,(o on h
Seventh day and every day fince; and I lhould rejoin to you (a
vou do Rel p. 17.) this « but Suppo ed not m the Word vhfil
call it Trifling, or Shifting, ( or Cavtlhng, if Y^u pleafe, or by fo^
other harder name-.) For I do think, there ^hcfeafintoM^
w
.udec what is moft likely tobe true, of what ts not mitten AnM
S3 you do allow vou r Of* liberty ( though pu wiU not*
low nus) to /if/^/cr many things wh "\ a ^
great many ot your Arguments begin with / thiniznd tftffl
But though I do not think fit to take this ad van tage, )CtW
Jmfmrtb,* learned No* Conform*/} (for whofe Authority you ^
t II. The ChriftUn Sabbath. 45
rhaps therefore have the more reverence) in his Tranflation of
fve Books of dflfofes, thinks fit to take notice of this difference
»ie feventb day, from the fix fore going (as if, in his judgment,
1 might not fafely argue from thofe to tbis y ) in his Annotations
•thofe words he Ucffcd it Gen. i. 3. (as a day of delight and fea/i-
) wherefore ( faith he ) this day is not dejeribed by Evening and
wing, as were the other fix ', which conjifted of light and darknefs ;
this allT>ay (or Light) figuring out our perpetual Joys. How far
Jauthority of this eminently Holy and Learned Non>ConformiB y
Jjfoeak in your own Language ( for fo I take him to have been a
mod wan, and a learned man, notwithftanding his Non-conformity,)
U fway with you, I cannot tell ; but, on-whatever time the 0-
days did begin, he feems to begin the f event b day with Light,
not at Sun-fet when Night was coming-on.
Yet I (hall allow you (though it be not Written ) that there was
1 the Seventh day (taking-it> the whole 24 hours) Darknefs as
jell as Light.
But withal, when God is faid to Reji on the feventh day, or (as
pleafe to render it ) to Sabbatize on the leventh day ; this I
ppofe, you would have to be underftood not barely of a Negative
JU ; that is, noUCreating; (for then he did as much Reft or Sab-
itize on the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth day, and fo forward \ ) but
include fomewhat Tofitive (what ever that were) on this day
irformed : And accordingly Man* Celebration of a Sabbath ;
like manner : Elfe to Jleep or be idle all the day, would be a fuffi-
int Sanaification of the Sabbath ; which I think you will not
low. Now, at what Time of the Seventh day, God did thus Blcfs
id San&ify it, by fuch To fit he San&ification, we do no more
' &w, than at what time of the Firft day he faid Let there be Light;
at what time of the Fourth day he made the Sun, So that we
J yet in the dark, ( according to this rule) at what time of the
ay this Holy Reft doth begin, if we mutt begin our Sabbath (as
fou would have it) juft at fuch time of the day as God began his.
But I would then tell you, that it is not Written, [nor do we
Read \ in the Word, that the Seventh day. (nor indeed any other day)
doth begin at Sun fet. I am fure the Firft day d\d not, nor the
cond, nor the Third, nor (I think) the Fourth; nor can you fhew
(in Scripture ) that ever any day did fo begin. I am fure, at the
Pafs-over, that the Fourteenth day did End at (or verj near) ciWtf-
night, and the Fifteenth day did then begin; not at Sun-fet, And
the Sixth day (on which Chrift was Crucified) did not End at Sun-
but a great while after. And the Frrftd^ (on which Chnit
0 rofe )
4* The ChriftUn Sdbatk Part II
rofe) did neither Begin, nor End, at Sun-fet And when you cat
(hew me, fo plainly, that ever any day ( in Scripture ) did (o Begin
or End, it will then be time to give you a farther Anfwer.
But when you tell us Rep, p. tfp. that Evening and xffiorning dti
conftitute and make up every day in the wtekj pray what do you
think of Noon ? was that no part of the day? or, didit continw
tmnK ol mon? was tftat no part or the day* 1 or, did it continue Tj V 1 tu oc 8 m wnen votis did t Uecanfe (p. <5
morning xftSunfet? Pray {hew me fonie /PWwhere it hfomii ff , 9*$*** : And therefore ym would not have all parts if
ten or where I may Read it ; or mull we take your fVord for it f That 7? tyedupto tie precije. moment of Gods Refting. And a<w
f (Mnmine tacrine Parln tmk 'tfa it it vPt An*L I I . l^t ^ no place in tie IVard mh/>r* it i? H>iJ *k~*
m tt ii^vn, ; *uu i gum uiai, iiicjc waj> mrf&ejs ana enen
was the firft day (and fo of the reft) but I do not grant thai r
the fkfi day did hegin at Sun fet. You'll fay perhaps that 'Darkwfi J** w ff re u . ts f md fa
was before Light, True - CJXarkmejk was upon the face of tie de& J™ tc 1 " s indeed > ^ P- <5?> <>B, ( as a Reply to one of my Ex-
beforeGod faid Let there be Light, Gen. i. 2, j .) But fo it might ms > > ihn ™f ^yfuppo/e tie Sun when jet in the firmament,
be though the day began at Midnight. Can you tell ine flow ^fc^^'Tv ™ e ft™ ard romd ^ti daily, as it fill deth.
it was dark, before God faid Let there be Light? Was it juS
Twelve hours? neither more nor lefs? as it ought to be at thfi
Vernal Equinox (where you fet up your Scheme Rep.-p t <j% f 7 j,} $
the day begin at Suffer. Pray Ihew me where I fhall find thaij
Yet this you muft (hew, before you can thence prove, that the Fm
day did begin at Sun-fet, or juft twelve hours before it be light. Is!
might be Six hours, or not fo much, for ought you or I do know.
II. The ChrijiUn Sdbtth.
Wans Reft begin when Gods did ? Becaoft (p. 6 9 .) ti/swere to
toM,)^das thepo/tmty of Adam (andfo of Noah ) travelled
k^trf, North or South, (not weft- ward onely,) by degrees the
Wwas cver/pread ( very good ; ) and into whatever country they
1 % tfc &w Mj J* every day of the week began ( that is,
tell us ft) andfo on to this day; and (as p. 7 n) in all places of the
f <\ as the Sun fits everywhere, fo mery where the Sabbath-day
y other day of tie week doth there begin andend^ notwith-
n 5 the Mptence of iours and minutes from the Jetting of the
fuppofe this alfc ( that it was dark for juft" v
before God faid Let there be Light) what then? Therefore, y* P J md **& m u ^konfrom Jerufalem (weft- ward J and follow the
fay, The feventh day at the creation did begin as tie three ftjlJ^W^i * £ ff S nmd * tiU il ccma <& mt ** ferufalem
and the other week-days did, that is in the evening at or about fu> ft F) and ke ^P P acc Wlth ll > m J mn imagination all the way, or
and lofted 14 hours, from evening to evening, Rep. ^68. (But, that |L ° 7 n as ^ y ou dld ?) fame ^ a y (\o\\ tell us ) begins at Rome,
the three pjl days did begin at or about Sun fet (when as yet there 7*' s l * te r than ** Inufalem; at London, j hours and twelve mi-
was no Sun ) feems to me new doftrine. ) And Rep, 0^3. .it fectiS J/ f a/ ^ w 8 hours ; and [jltll following the Sun from
(to you) demonftrabk, that every day of the wee^ began every wher* Y L to * a P an y) u J e * J ^ffapan 1 7 hours later than atjerufalem ;
in tie evening round the world as the Sun did jet. But ftay a while m ^ oms mm* from Japan to Jerufalem again; 17 and 7 being
Was there not a moment when Gods Reft did begin Gen. 2. x? And \tjj JS > r when y ou come hstck 10 Jtrujalcm, it will be ftiU
if Gods Reft were to be man's Rule , was not the Sabbath then to {Jot the Sun hath not fet, to you, all the way, who
begin ? But, at whatever moment that was, '
fet in one place, it was Sun rifing at another,
and at a Fourth tflidmght. (For furdy it v.
fame ^llntheftrjidayi^
r> tnough not to you who travelled with it. ) And, if you then
continue
, Digitized by the C
itist Research
4 g The Chrifli** Sabhtk Part J
continue there, yourjeventb day muft be thenceforth concurred
with ibeir firft day : Wltich is the Expedient I offered you. Art
'tis iult the fame cafe with that of Sir Francis Draft s loojwg *M
by tailing round the Earth ; fave that he loft the day by fare*
and vou all at once (becaufe your Imagination keeps pace with*
Sun/ but he could not fail fb fall ) And though this day ( by J
means) become longer by z + bwrs than another day ; this a tcj
not the cafe at all according to your doflrme j for to you tell J
Enq p. 39. One long day m Jojhuatis time, and another m HezeM
time, or the variety of the times of the Stinsfetting in different ■
mates does no way difturb, for that a day longer or fkorter than anoM
by Come hours is (till a day, and but a day : And fo here, £ef>. p. H
the two Jong days in Jofhuatis and Hezeki*Vs time ma ft no alteram
And if it be loft by parcels, {which is the cafe or Sit-Frm
Drake ) 'tis the fame thing, for he will certainly have one Sua-]
fewer than thofe he left behind, and fo ( it at ev^ry Sun-fct whcJ
ever you are, without con fide ring what day it is at Taradije or j
rufalem, mult begin a new day, and not till then, which is yffl
doftrine, ) bis Seventh day ( when he comes round ) will be conctf
rent with their firft day who ftayd behind, and lb for ever altf
which is the Expedient I ofFered you. Again, what you tea*
Repl p. 66. that Cbrijitans in Turky mujt top this Sabbath on nym
This will be unavoidably fo, by your doftrine, to thole
(hall travel Eajiward to Japan or the EaftJndies, and come ffl
by thcStreights of ^Magellan; for, as the other loofe a day, ^
will**/ a day ; and fince you allow that the potency of ^* J
Noah may travel Weftwardw well as Eajiward round the Woj
Their Saturday who thus travel Eajiward will (when theycoj
round ) be coincident with the Fryday of thofe who flay d bcW
according to your Scheme. , : V J i I
In the mean time ; The firft day did certainly hegm at the m
moment as to all the World; (the firft moment wherein W
began to create. ) And if it began at once for all the WorW
mult (after 14 hours according to your reckoning Rep. p.»
End at once for all the World, And fo the ftcond, third, flj
day accordingly, Now if the fixth day do at once end aU
World over, but the feveuth day not then begin (but fome m
after, be it 10, u, or 13 hours, according to your Scheme PA
73.) then (as you argue p. 68.) *e loofe fo many hours; wbicbft
no part of the fixth day y nor ( to fucb ) anf part of the feventh l
would ceafe ( to them )to be any part of the week. How you wiIM
fwer your own Argument I cannot tell : it fceras to me feme*'
difficult.
hit IL
the ChrifiiMn Sabhtk
49
If, to avoid this, you will fay { and 'tis the faireft yon can offer*
may perhaps be true) that, When God faid, Let there be
bt } it was not prefentJy light all the World over ; but rather
t God did then create a B*df of Light {ox z Light fome Body )
hich did move round the Earth (as now the Sun Joth,) and was
be fecn fucceffively at fevcral places 7 one ) two,ten,twelve or twen-
hours after the dajicnels firft began : If fo ; this deftroys your firft
jpothefis, that the Firft day did begin every where juft twelve
urs before it began to be light, that is, (as you phraf'e it) juft at
fet, ( before there was a Sun.)
But pray Sir confider, How unfafe arguing it is, to catch at *
tion, or take up a fanfy, and then run away with it, as if all
ere fafe, becaufe you fo fanfy ; and force all other places ( though
ver fo contrary) to comply with this Fanfy. All you have
re to lay hold 01,1s no more but thisXhere was Evening and there
j Morning the ftrjl day, that is, there was Darknefs and there
as Light the firft day ■ and Darfyefi was before Light. Whencfc
ou conclude therefore the firft day did begin at Sun-Jet, Might
J* all this be if it begin at Midnight ( or at any ocher dark hour)
well as at Sun-fet ? or ( for fo 1 am willing to underftand you,
t it may look like fenfe,) juft twelve hours ( every where ) he-
re it { there ) began to be light ? I fhould think that you might
well conclude (from your premiflcs) that the day is to begin
Norn. For, that Morning may continue till Noon } I can allow
u ( though not till Sun-fet \ ) and you can allow ( to ferve a turn)
epl p. that Evening may begin prefently after Mid day, { rather
en the Pafs-over fhould not be all difpatctTd by Sun-fet;) And
n from the beginning of Evening to the end of Morning muft {by
. f s Account ) be from Noon to Noon.
Nor is any ftrefs to be laid upon the order of words, (that Eve-
is named before Morning,or Night before Day ; ) for both are
promifcuoufly in Scripture, fometime Night before Day, and
etime Day before Night. Tfali, 1, i. Blefjedis the man -
e delight is in the Law of the Lord^and he meditateth therein Day
Night ; and in many other places* And if you look no fur-
r than the Fmrth day; Gen, 1 , God faid 7 Let there be lights in
Firmament to divide the day from the night. { or between the
and between the night f ) ver.14. dnd GoJ made two great light s f
greater light to rule the 2)ay, and the kjjer light to rule the Night,
i r 1 6, to rule over the Say and over the Night } and to divide
i Light from the 7)arknefi } ver. 18. (There, we have Day before
ight, and Light before Darknefs.) So in Exod. xp, 38,39. Ntw
G this
tist Research
Tk Chrifttti Sdbatk Part It
this is that which thou /halt offer upon the altar , two lambs of tht
firft fear, day by day, continually, tht one lamb thou /halt offer in tie?
Morning, and the other lamb thou Jhalt offer at Even, And in like
manner Numb. i8. a, 4- This is the offering made by fire which yt
jhall offer unto the Utd ; two lambs of the firft year without jpit
day by day for a continual burnt-offering : the one lamb Jhalt thou ojfet
hi the Morning) and the other lamb paftthou offer at Even : which foft
the Sabbath Jay was to he doubled, ver.p. to- Where you fee that
( in both places ) the Morning is put before the Evening. Though
you are pleas'd (as to both places) to invert the order, Er/f. p. U
(but whether or no it were an Artifice 1 cannot tell ) Their daily
precije tiries, of Evening and Morning worjhip (fay you) / kftov
not, but mely Evening and Morning, txod. xp, 35, 41, 4 l > 43? 45V
Numb. 1%. 4, 8. ( Where alfo you put Evening and ^Morning in a
different charafter, as more remarkable. ) And fo p. 83. Evtnty
and Morning wotjhip, —which Evening and Morning worfhip—n
not to be intermitted upon the Sabbath-day: and for this feeNuni*
28. 3,4, 8,y. You may obferve alfo that ( even for the Sabbath)
the Evening Sacrifice is in the end of the day {after the Morning
Sacrifice,} not over-night (in the Evening before, ) fo that the
Morning of the Sabbath was before the Evening of the Sabbath. I
forbear to cite other places where Morning is put before Evening!
But thefe two I thought fit to mention to RcBify your Irmrit%
the order of the Words ; putting the Evening and Morning worftif
inftead of Morning and Evenings as it is in the Texts you cite-
And 'tis very weak to lay any ftrength meerly on the order of
words in fuch a cafe. In Gen. i. 4, Thefe are the generations of tbt
Heavens and of the Earth when they were created, m the day that tk
Lord made the Earth and the Heavens: Which of thefe {hall VC
here conclude to be firft ma^e ?
I hive now done with this Digreffion (about what time the datf
is to begin); which you put us upon, hoping thereby to Ihift ol
this place of AB. xo. *j. from Sunday to Saturday night.
A like place I faid Difc. p. 38. ) is that of 1 Cor. 16. 1,2. But vihd
likenefs there is between thefe places you cannot fee Rep], p. 37. lie
fhew you. I had there faid, that in Jomt places, though fingle /*'
fiances Jhere is intimation of a frequent ufage ; as AB. 20. 7. and I
like place is that of 1 Cor. i'<5. This likenefs there is. That fuck
intim ttion was in the former place, I had fliewed before. And it
is fo here, Now concerning the CoSeBionfor the Saints, as T have IK
::en order in the Churches of Galatia, evenfo do ye : Upon the p ft day op
rtll The Chrifiun SaUstk $j
week, let every me of you lay by him in fiore as God hath pro,
yd htm ; that there be no gathering when I come. Where it
nly appears,that/& >fojl day of the wr£,was wontto be obferved
r r in the Cbmxbes of Galatia, and at Corinth. This the Apollle
ofetb, when he dire&s what he would have done on thofe
; which is a work of charity, proper for fuch a day. Here
W0*t*f troubles you again, whether it may not be any day of
week as well as the firft day of the week, I told you then T)ifc.
p. I did believe, your ] elf thought it to be the Firfi day. It is
pld* <n$U™* ( on that day which is me day after the Sabbath. )
d younowconfefs^/.p.28. Tou think that m the NewTeftament
d where elfe doth it not ? ) it is Generally meant the Firft day;
the Firfl dy is Certainly meant in fome places. And this con*
loft fhall ferve my turn, till you can fhew fome place (either
toe New Teftament or clfe-where) in which it figniftes other-
or, whv it {hould not here fo fignify as every where elfe it
. You then intimate E nq t p. ^8. and again Jtep. pt<|*j as if it
ht be meant of a yearly ColleBion, becaufe that ( in purfuance
uppofe of this direction ) it is faid in the fecond Epiffle, % Cor.
to. They had begun before, not onely to do, but to be' forward, a
ago; And 1 Cor, 9. 1, i. / boafied of you to them of Macedonia
Achaia (where Corinth flood) was ready a year ago. But why
this be a yearly colle&ion rather than a weekly collection ?
it they not, a year ago, begin and hz forward in fuch weekly
..eftions ? Yet you do confefs £»?.p.y8. that, of yearly colleBions,
hing that you know is there exprefiy written. BiK,whether Week-
or Annual, if it were to be done on the firft day of the week, 'tis
ifeft that the firft day of the weej^ was then obferved.
ut further to fatisfy you that it is not an Annual, but a Weekly
Jeflion; you may confider the words uU* ctt^ rf w, juft
the fame form with that AB. 2. 45. they continued in the temple
'iju*^ 1 doyly } every day 7 or day by day; and breaking bread
r (domefticatim) from houfe tohouje; and ver. 4-7. and the Lord
4 to the Church «f«e^ dayfy, fuch as /hould be faved. And
to the fame purpofe AB. f. 42. m*tlw n ipti&t t? W Uf& dayly in
Temple, ^ mo* and in every houfe, they ceafed not to teach
Breach fetus Chrift. And in the Lord* Prayer Luk 11,3. Give
our dayly bread &f hut&v day by day : And AB. 13. 27. the
|r of the Prophets which 'are read ^ mSCam every Sabbath*
; and AB. 14. 23. they ordained elders nkY iMx.htt<r<&t in every
xb; AB. if* 21 . Mofes of old hath them that preach him
every City, being read in the Jynagoguts *p *h ed£C*nr every Sab-
G i * bath-
p The ChiftiM SMtih. ^rtlL
bath Jay; and AB. n il- A« W&> *$Fi d %l
and AB. i8, 4. ^ *fi every fabbatb ; and ^B- i»- 9*/!/'
j* ^/fW 0/ «w 7>r«w« *V or day by dp
Ythe lame with '«« Jptpr ^ 17. i>) and frf. 1. *r**
W&rj # Tfau» ineveifcity: So here, # pUv ^C«t«, lstftfttiy
jfr/f^ of /if (week by week.) Would you have it to be re*
liered, on every One day of tie week? And if u were to be clone
(on that day) week by meek, then was this firft day^ not oaely *
ferved, but wnt to be obferved. Which {hews this ( as was noted
before) not oncly to be a /ingle precedent, but a wonted cuftomt;
loth in the Church of Coring and thofe ifl Galatta.
You add Rep p. I f «*W obferved, and wont to be obferved,
( which you do not deny, though you are loth to grant it,) yet it a
not faid to be obferved as a Sabbath, or as a week]/ day of hok Refi
But if hence it appear that it was vmt to be obferved, ( which is noi
denyed,)'^ it was obferved, will appear elfewhere, in rebgm
exercifes, of which a charitable coHeBion for the Saints [ m want)
is one. As they had, before, been forward; fo he doth here e*
liort them (a. Or- 9. ) to Continue, and to do it Bountifully ; W
'twas a thing to be done more thaa once ; and that firfi day mor«
than Once to be celebrated.
But it conld not {you'fey) be a Sabbath or mc%reft x butW
quite contrary, for it mcludes cafting up their account s 7 telling tm\
rnony, reckoning their Stock &c* elfe how can they difcreetly lay aJM
As God hath profpered them I p, $ 9- Rep. p. J7- Now becauM
I am here blamed for calling this a Wife Objeffion, I wiU callitiJ
no more, But you may find it fully anfwered Difc. p. (thoujffl
you pleafe to take no notice of it ) And that the fame objection w
as well againft 7}eut. \6ao, where m the Feafi ofTentccofl (whiffl
your fclf callaSabbath) they are to bring a tribute ofajrte-wffjm
ing according as the lord thy God hath blejed thee. Unit tn
therefore on that day caft up their accounts f tell their money , oft,
becaufe they were to offer according as the Lord had blejed tbm
I think nor; no more than upon a Sabbath-day, For, that day was
be obferved as fuch, Levit. 23, %t. Te fball proclaim on the felfp
day that it maybe a Holy Convocation untoyouye JhaS do nafervile W
therein: And it is a branch of the general order, ver. 2* and vet. k
concerning all the Feaft s there named, that the/ were tobeprocw
ed to be Holy* Convocations ; Of which the Sabbath is one ver. J*'
this of Pentecoft another, ver. ij, If it were not then
continent with the (Sabbatical) Feaft of Pentecoft, to offer ac0
ingastk Lord hadblejedthmi why Ibould it be thought tm
partlL TkChrifian Sabbatk 543
tent with a Religious Obfervance, of the Firjl day of the Week^
it Corinth or in Galatia, to Jay by as God hath profpered them ; with.
Hit cafting up their account s^ telling their mony, examining their ftock 7
)mputwg their expenfes &c? All which may as well be done before
[if need be ) in the one cafe as in the other. As to what you fay,
this laying by him in ftore might be done when they were af under and
at home, and not a publick colle&ion. Be it fo ; but if this be re-
jpm mended to be done cn the Firjl day of the mek 7 { whether pub-
Lck or private) it is a fign the day however was obferved^ and pie-
^ umed to be fo. But you might have feen ver. i- it was a CoHeBiort
for the Saints (not a private laying afidc) and ver. %. that there be
) Gatherings when I come y which yet mull have been if (before)
ley onely laid aGdc in private.
I have now (hewed you Ftve precedentS| of the Firft day of the
fek then obferved ; and fomeof them are more than fmgle prece-
dents : (and cleared them from all your Objeftions.) Tne firft is
tat of Chriji himfclf, with the two 2)ifciples at Emmaus, and then
ith the Eleven at jferufalem, on the day of his RefmreBion ; and a
great deal of ferious bulinefs there difpatched. A fecond, of CbriJt
alfo with his 2>ifciples } on the fame day the next week, and in like
manner imployed. A third, on the day of TentecoJ y in the Mi-
raculous Effujton of the Holy-Ghoft ; and Teteth preaching, to a
-eat Ajemblyj converting three thoufand Souls, A fourth is that
" Taul at Troajy A£b 20. Preaching to a large congregation, and
lebrating the Lords Supper 7 on the firfi day of the week A fifth is
lat of 1 Cor. 16. where 7aul (prefuming or taking for granted
that fuch were) directs farther, what (amongH other things ) he
|ould have to be done at thofe Meetings, on that day. But if, after
ill this, yon cannot believe (or will not believe) that the jir/i day
\f the week, was generally obferved, or wont to be obferved y or at all
>tbferved« ( as you tell us Rej>, p. 38. ) I cannot help it. If ydu could
thew but half fo much evidence (or even lefs than fo\ from matter
Jf fa#, for Mans obferving the Seventh-day-fabbatk ( after God's
\fefling Gen. %,) before that of Exod. 16, (alter Jfraeh coming out
Egypt,) for more than two thoufand and five hundred years : you
Would think that matter of faff to be well^proved.
If the Reader lhall think it irkfome, that I am put upon difpu-
ting fo many Little things (I muft not call them Trifles) I cannot
kip it : For, how little foever they are, you think them to te
reat matters*
A Sixth
54 The Chriftan Sdfotk Part II
A Sixth precedent is that Rev. i. to. f was in the Spirit on the
Lords day. Where though we have it by a new Name, n is the fame
daymih what is otherwife called ihtfrft day of the fFeeks and
hath always been fo reputed.
This you do not deny to be a good Precedent, if this Lords dap
were the firjl day of the Week
Now that it was fo, (not, as you would have it, the Seventh-day-
Sabbath,) I proved to you fo fully, Difc. 43,^,4y ? ^47,4#,49,j'o*
as would fetisfy any perfon not flrongly pre-ingaged. That it was
the proper name of a day (by which it then tvas known) you grant
Rep. 1 9. And that it was not the S&venth-dayfabbuth ( but fome day
contradiftinguifhed from it) feems plain, elfe be'tsronld have called
it the fabbath (the molt known name or that day if there wcte no
other Sabbath) / was in the spirit on the Sabbath day, Ignatius who
was a Dijaple of St, John (and fa molt likely to know his meaning)
who wrote foon after (it not before ) St. John wrote the Revel£
thus ( for he died within ten years after it) tells us it was the firft
day t in contradiftin&ion to the Jewifh Sabbath {Hon ampMs Sabba*
tizantesjedfecwdumftominicamviventes, [feu vitam agentes,)/** qua
& vita nofira ortaejl;) not any longer observing the Jews Sabbath, but
the Lords 'Day on which Chrifl our Life rofe again. Exhorting the
Chriflians not to Judaic (5/ enim ufyue nunc fecundum fudaijmum
vmttfos. confitemur gratiam non recepijjc) For if we do yet Judaize^
renounce Grace. AndToiycarp (another of St. John's difciples) was of
the fame mind with Ignatius, who colle&ed and publifhed the
Epiflles oi Ignatius, with one of his own- And jfuftin Martyr (who
was Contemporary with them, though, not a Chnftian till fome
time after) makes it to be our Sunday. Yet thefe were none of the
Romifh World (as you (peak Rep. j> ) but Greek, Fathers, and
older than the Romifh Corruptions , or the Romifh Ufurpatiom,
{though not older than the Church of the Romans to whom St. Tad
wrote ;) For that Headfbip of Rome, you tell mEnq. p. tfbfl feems
not affumed m divers Centuries after the Second Century. And
u tIierefore this, not originally from the Romanifls (as you fanfy En$.
p.jr) nor did they take it from what .you call Romifh Traditions. And
it is fo taken in the Father^, Councels, and Church Hiftory all along
to this day. To which yonr iinfwer is, Thefe are but Traditions,
there is or cm be no certainty pom them, Rtp.p. jp, 40. (So that all
'Htfarfn but Tradition.) But .pray how Qiall we know that RoMt
'mentioned intheNewTeJlament is the fame with what we nm
Kali Rome (and which hath been fo called ever fincc) otherwife
than by fuch Tradition ? And how can you tell whether our Satur*
m
tort II. rhChriftimSdhatk
day or Sunday be the fame days (in a continued Succeffion of Jewifh
Weeks) with what they called thz f event bznd firjl days, othirwifc
than by Tradition? and (which is more) Unwritten Tradition / You
U us Ret> p. 3 All the Chriftim and Hebrew Churches in the world
'e agreed that Sunday is the fhjl day cj "the (meaning, I fun.
% of the Jewifh Week; ) Now is this any other than T?aditioni
en ^W7//f^Tradition ? And you had told us before, Em. p 7 8
at otherwife all the Jews and Chriflians hitherto in the World arc
tin their reckoning: Which is nothing but Tradition; which you
ipifei /ndpag. 93 that (in the fifth Century) All Chriflians m
Ifxwlddid agree which was the Sabbath Jay (meaning, theTewifh
ttbath) and which the firjl day of theweek{hxn it was by a comma*
"*fotm they did fo agree ; ) And you add, they all agreed to call
I Seventh Jay of the Wee^ihe Sabbath day ( meaning the Tewifb
ibbathj but you fhould have added alfo, and to call the fir/day o f
the Week, the Lords Jay: But it was by equal Tradition, they did fb
»ree. And by like tradition (from the fifth Century downwards
1 now) wefo reckon to this day; but ilill it is but Tradition
And if (as you tell us Rep. 39, 40.) there be no certainty in fuch Tra-
ctions, then are we not certain of either ; but, if there be, then
are we equally certnin of both. And when vou tell us Rep. p, i 0
Ubey were taugot it down along from Adam ingracious families from
tatter to Son; (which was the Seventh-day in courfe from the
treation }: If this were fa (which I can hardly believe) yet fhll
this is Tradition, and no more. And what you add Rep. p. n± that
tte certain Seventh Jay (in courfe from the firft creation,) was pi e-
ced by all Nations, Wording the Sun upon Sunday; is fo weak,
it there is not the kaft fbotflep in Hiftory, Sacred or Profane
latlcan find) that any nation (much lefs all nations) did
►rfhip the Sun upon Sunday more than on any other day. or
tt any nation ( before IfraeTs coming out ot Egypt) had any
teks at all; nor any after that time, butthejfwj oifely, before
* nines of Chrifiiamty ; or that the names of Saturday, Sunday,
Wonday, &c. were io much as known before that time : And if any
J the Heathen had anv Weeks before that time, how fhall we know
they were in ^uninterrupted circulation from the firft Crea-
k i So that all this is not fo Much ^Tradition, but ameer Fanfy.
true that, fince Chnftfs time, upon planting thcGofpei al] the
Hid over, and ( with it) the Obfcrvanon of the Lords day, we
f reafonably depend upon the Common Tradition ( which if one
S^n fhould miftake or forget, would loon be retflified by neigh-
Nations] but whtn ( by your awn conceflions ) no other Na-
ion
„ The Chrifian Sabbath. PartH
tionin the World didobferve the Jewifh Sabbath (nor, thatwc
kS^ntny WcckataU,) thecafe is farotherwxfc Nor is it ant
faid I Scripture, that the jewifh Sabbath (from th^ > fig
raining of Manna) was ^Seventh day in courfe from the Creation.
I remember, you tell us £117. p.in, 118. and you mind me of
it Rep. p. 40, *i that I fay nothing to it (being it feems a thing oa
which v« 4 fiy gttat weight,) that tn the Records of parliament and
Tthe^rts Saturday is called Sabbati, or dies
Sabbati (the Sabbath Jay) True, (as fhppofing, by Tradition, thu
day of our week to bewhat the Jews called the Sabbath in their
AveeU But do not you know alfo, that ( in the fame Bf cords )
day is called ( Vies Vomintcus) the Lord's Jay? And it thofe prove
faturday to be the Jewtjh Sabbath, why fhould not thefe as well
prove funday to be the /j>rd's.day ? Ail the difference is, as to that
vou were Quick-fighted, but Blind as to this. You may obfervc
alfo (if that may be thought material) that the one is t Sabbati or
dies Sabbatilin the Genitive cafe,in the fame form with dies Saturn,
and as the other days we,) but the Lord's Jay is die Domwico (m
the Ablative) meaning (I fuppofe) that Saturday is the day on
which had been the Jewifh Sabbath ; but this, the day which is the
Lord's Jay. Which different Conftruftion feems plainly to intend
(in our Law) a different import of the words. By dies Saturn,
or dies Luna, we do not mean, a day Injlituted by Saturn r or the
rJMoon, as by dies Vominicus we do mean, the day Infhtuted by our
Lord, (like'as by Cena Dominica, we mean, the Supper Injlituted
by our Lord. ) So that thefe Records do you no fcrvice at all,
but Dif-fervice. .
You tell us Enq. p. 64. that the Seventh-day fabbath was injlituted
iy our Lord Jefus Chrijl, and by him was blejfed and fanelified ; and
that day which the Lord blejjed and fanftificd is the Lord's day ; That
tie that blejjed it was the Lord C/ni/l ; And p.67 . The SeventhJay H
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Exod.20. and Deut. c. and that
/which is the Lords-Sabbath is the Lords Jay. That If. 58. the Lord
calls it my holy Jay ; and it cannot be the lefs his day becaufe it is hit
Holy day; and if it be His day it is the Lords Jay. And p. 66. that
4hc Son of Man (the Lord Jefus Chnll ) is Lmd of the Sabbath Jay',
and that day whereof Cbrjft is Lord, is the Lords Jay. And p. 67.
Chrijl, who gave the Sabbath was and is Lord of it. And p. 68. Chrijl^
as Lord of the Sabbath, who gave tt,ferfeRly underjlood his On*
Lavo. And to the fame purpole Rep. p. 39, 40. and elfewhere.
Now this puts us upon another Digreffion (which may take u$
fome time) In what coufideration oar Urd Jefus Chrijl ma^bc
Pare [I. The ChrijtUn Sahhatk $7
aid to have Created the World, to have Rtjled the Seventh day and
blejfed 'n, to have given the Law upon Mount Sinai, and the Hkc.
You may remember that I didformerly diflinguifh between what
Chnll did as God ( in Union with the Father and Holy Ghoft) and
what he did ( leparately ) as our Lord Jefus Chrrji (God and Man,
as our Mediator, andFpunderof the Chrilfcian Religion;) and that
the Lord our God in the Old Tefhment, doth not lignify jufl the
fame as our Loid Jefus Chr/Jl in the New Tdhment. And I told
you jDifc. p. x, J. I do agree, that our Lord Jefus Chrijl (ac,oid,>,,r
to his 'Divinity) is God, the true God, the God that made Heaienaud
Earth, the Qod who delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai: But
cannot agree that Chrijl as Gcd and &/an ( in contradjlmclion to the
father and HolyGhoJl ) did thefe things ; For be was not then Man.
'yNow this you take beinoufly Rep. p. 4. ( that I fhould thus diitin-
guifh) and you think the VoSlor biarnab.'e, lor lb difhnguifhing. And
whylo? Are we not to aiihnguifh between what Chnii doth as
God, (in common with the Father and Holy-Ghoft) and what he
doth as ^Mediator, God and Man? Yes. Where then is the fault?
May not I fpeak Dijlin&Iy '(to avoid miftakes) becaufe you had
ipoken Sutyicioufly ? // infinuates (you lay) as if you haajaidj that
f Chrijl as God and Man did all thofe things ; ( If your own wo>ds do
Eot fo in/muate, ldid not ; (jor laid any fuch thing: ) uhereas you
A neither f aid nor ever thought } that Chrijl was incarnate at tbcnja%ng
^m jhe t^orjd, or at hrs giving the Law at Blount Sinai : ( Why bis
g;ving the Law , rather than Gods giving the Law ? ) So as the
Jjb oftor bath not we/1 J'urmifed in this ; And again, Neither I nor any
V other that I know (lay you) has /'aid or thought that Chrijl when He
wHeffed the Seventh day (Why when He blclled, rather than, when
B&Wblefled ? ) was then in the Flejhjb that in this I think the Itollor
b! enable . And yet a third time, p. 5. For the 'Dcftor to impofe upon
Ws Reader herein as he doth ( you fay) feems b/amable ; and fuch sir-
tifices ( you fay) the Reader may difcern afterwa\ds. And, I pray,
^hy all this? Did 1 charge you with having fa id or thought that
Chrift was incarnate at (JW'j making of the World, or at God's
giying the Law at Sinai f I believe that (when you confider of it)
you do got rhin.k he was: But if your language were inconlider it ,
jthat was not my fault. I cn : ly explained in what fen fe 1 eanagree
tp what you faid (that our Lordjejus made the World, and gave the
Law upon Mount Sinai ; ) If your jenfe be the fame with mine, w hy
do you quarel with my fpeaking plainly, what vou meant? It it
be not the fame, 'us , Ton be biamablc, uot 1. , You might as well
(withoutall this lournef$)have fcui You meant no more, but as I do
E^h ./T H Hut
digitized by the CenteJ^^M^ventist Research
58 T&e C/;r//?/^ Sabbatk Part H
/& TJoftor ( you fay />. 5. ) herein feems to follow Mr. Trofi.
If fo ; I know no hurt in it. But 'tis your miltake; For what I
lay there, was written (and printed too) a good while before I had
feen Mr. Trojss book, or knew any thing of it. For though Mr.
Trofss book came out, a little before mine was quite finifhed ; the
greateft part of mine was printed before his came out. And if Mr.
TroJ's have prefied this more clofely upon you than I have done:
You mull blame your felf for' it ; when all along you takepleafure
to attribute to our Lord fcjus Chrift (as if with that Reduplication,)
which was more properly to be faid of God indefinitely. If I (be-
caufe the Holv-Ghoft is God) {honld affetl to fay, In the beginning
the Holy Gholi created the Helens and the Earth; and, The Holy-
Uhoftjaid, Let there be Light ; and, Tie Holy-Gboft faid, Let us make
Man after our mage; zn&fhe Holy-Gbojl rejied the f event b-day } and,
The Hoy Ghoft faid, I am the Lord thy God, thou [halt have no other
God but me; ( as it no Verjon but the HolyGhoJt might be owned
tor God ; ) Would not this look like an odd Afft&ation ? Yet at this
rate \ou fpeak all along, affe&ing to fay Our Lord Jefus Chrift
where it were more proper to fay God 1 hus here, The Sabbath,
toy was infhtuted by our Lordjefus Chrift; and by him bleffed: He
that blelied it was the Lord Chriji; and the like. Whereas this was
not done by himfwgly, nor by him as Chrift, but by him as God,
Mid jointly with the Father and Holy-Ghoft. And to what purpofe
1 i it laid, Ht that blejfed it was the Lord Chrift t when this adds no
/ie\v authority to the Law more than if it had been faid GW bleffed
n (Father Son and Holy-Ghoft ;) for we are no more to break the
- Law of God, than the Law of our Lordjefus Chriji. And though
•.on foretimes admit the Father and Holy-Ghoft as fharers herein ;
yet you fay, 'tis Eminently Chrift En<|. p. 1 1 . And Chrift you under-
fiand as 'Principal Lffi tent of all things in Heaven and Earth, to
whom the Creation is Eminently and 'Particularly ajcribed; and (you
think) Eminently fpoken of Chrift, p. 6. and a*ain, (in the lame
.^ge) you do not exclude (you lay) the Far her from this wort, nor
/he Holy-Ghoft, but lay it is Eminently afcrtbfd to the Lordjefus
Chriji, p. 6. and they Specially point at Chift p. ia. and the Com-
mands given by Chriji the Mediator, p. 1 3. and the God of Jfraelwho
lavethe Law was and is Jehovah the Son, p.- 1 j.
Now I can allow it proper enough to fay that Chriji (as to his
Divinity) is thcGodwho made the World (for Father Son andHoly
Glioft are the fame God,! but it feems hard to fay (converfely ) that
the Father Son and Holy-Ghoft (who jointly made the World) are
'Jehovah the Son. The Father , Son and Holy-Gboft made the World;
thercr
I
fart II. The Chrijlian Sabbath. 59
therefore He that made the World (fuppofe the Father, or Holy-
Ghoft) is the Lord Jefus Chrift, will not follow ; but onely that One
9f thofe who (jointly) made the World is the Lordjefus Chriji.
I thought you might have learned fo much Grammar at School,
as to know that y'« 5*g,'*T*r doth not fignify one of the Sabbat \h
and fo much Logician the Univcrfinr as to know that an Untv& fal
affirmative is not to be Converted Jimplkiter ; as well as fo much
Law at Wejiminfier, as to know that (in the Records of Parlia-
ment ) dies 'Dominicus, or the Lords day, commonly called Sunday
doth not fignify Saturday ; and that a midnight-day (as you wittily
call it) that is, from midnight to midnight, is no Abfurdity, but good
Law in Wejimmjler-hall. I am told that in Rome and Italy they
' do reckon as you would have it ? from Sunfet to Sunfct ; beginning,
- from Sunfet to reckon, One, Two, Three a clock^; and fo onward co
Four andTwenty a-clock at Sunfet the next day , { fo that mid day is,
with them, fomeumes//A7ft , « a Jock, and toixKiimc* twenty a-cloci,
according as the days be long or fhort ; ) and I think it is theie one-
jy that men do fo reckon. Should I now Reproach your way of
reckoning ( from Sunfet to Sunfet ) as Rom'ifh, fopijh, Monhjjh, Rq.
mifhTraaitton, the Rcmifb World, the Men of Rome, Rome and its
followers? You own that Heathen f) Rome in our Saviours time, (;
well as Chrijlian England now) did reckon from Midnieht to Mid-
] night; and it was not, till fome agts after, i\\i\Toj*ijb, Jfonlfi ,
I jtnti<hrifiian Rome did a(fume this (jfewijh) Reckoning: And
I would you not think it a doughty Argument if I fhould thus argue
againft your Evening day? But I goon.
They feem ( you lay ) Efpcc tally to refer to Jehovah the Son p. 14.
We have here the Lord f ejus Chriji who made the World, rejiing on
the Seventh day, blejjing andjanfft/yingof it, that is giving the Inlii-
\tutionof it, Sec p. 13. ( and why not as well, God who made the
World, &c.) and this recorded for the glory of our Lordjefus Chriji,
l(why not as well, for the glory of God? ) and again ( in the fame
i page) the Lordjefus Chriji made the World (and did not God the
' father as well ? ) He reded on the J'eventh day, Hejanffified it, andfo
injlituted it, and to this inftitutionyou thinhfdo refer the vcords of our*
Lord, The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ; He injlituted it &c.
I What ? He more than the Father and Holy-Ghoft ? Or did he, as
Son of Man, inftitute it? I do not think (though it feems you do)
that thefe words refer to the Son of Mans fnjtituticn, but' rather
f; to his power of abolition of the Jewifh Sabbath* which was foon
pfter to follow,) For they ^re fpoken by way of derogation not of
^Confirmation ot it. Again, The Ten Commandments were Jpoken by
Hi/ Chriji
Chriji Eminently p. z 4. Jfter the promulgation of the Lam by Chrjf
at Mount Sinai p. x<l That Chriji f pake the T m Commandments p. ip,
7 he Lord relied in heaven and his body in the grave upon His Own in,
(iitutcd Seventh day p. 4a. He (Mr Chafiej though you hope be was
a very Good, as we tt as a Learned man^feems ^you iayj not to have
had dear sipprehenfions of Chrift, as Creating the world, and then
Rellmg; nor of Chrift as /nftttutwg the Sabbath Gen. 1. i, 3, nor of
Chr. fts confirming the Moral Law at Sinai, Exod. xo. p. 6y (Yet, I
piefumc, he had r/^r apprehenfions of his being GWall that time.)
Sop. 67, Ctfr/// who gave the Sabbath, and ~8. Chrid who gave it.
The Seventh day which Chill relied upon after the Creation, p, yf f
72? Seventh day { in the heart of the fourth commandment ) is jecured
hyChrtli, p. 7*7. 7> fir Ft ' Sabbath Gen. z. ordained by Chntf p. 7*?.
Obedience to Chriji s ten commandments p,8 1 , Conformity to the Laws
of ChriB ^ that is the Ten Commandments, p. 8r. To C^/jfr laws,
that is, to the ten Commandments p. 8 2k 7~& law our Lord hath given
us in the ten commandments^ p. Si- 72«; authority which fir B com-
manded it, which was Our Lord himfelf p, 8j\ Who but ChriB hath
power to inBitute a Sabbath-day? p. 86, . Who is bound to obfervea
day not inBituied by ChriB in fa mure > or to lay afide what He hath
there \ Instituted t p. 86. One of ChriBs commands p. pi. ChriB can
vindicate His commandments p. 1 1 3. 7& world was made by our Lord
Jefus Chnft p. ijtf. is the Lord Jehovah who after the Creation in.
Bhuted the Seventh day, reded on it, Janciified and bkjjedit. p. 1 3d.
At Mount Smai the Commands were given } by Chriji the Redeemer y
Hjtwsand Ginfiles. p. 13-. o f iMVi^^^S^u^i
Now when, in all thefc pkces (and .many more) it were more
proper to fay God indefinitely, than the Lord Jefus Chrrl},\t)d yet
you afte# all along ro apply the Creation of the World, the fnflitu-
t ion of the Sabbath j the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai ; , fingly
to our Lord Jefus Chr ill, and to him as our Mediator^ and pur Re-
deemer, and to him Eminently *n& Efptciafy (in conrradiftin&ion
to the Father and Huly-Ghoft ;J I had reafon to fay. {ptfe. p. j. )
you feemed to lay great (Irefs upon it (at which Rep, p, ^ y 0 u are
offeoded) elfe why fhould you affeft all along fo to [peak, where
there was no reafoji for it, and where the ward Goa would have
ferved your turn as well? Ifeenoreafon (as you fpeak Rep. p. 5,)
whyyoujhould (affect to) ,vary from the Scriptures ixpreffions: % *
Nor do I fee any caufe why youffioula 1 be fo highly. offended, that
I fhould (without any reffcftion upon you ) Explain what I meant,
and what I hoped you had meant. ( or Ihould have meant) though
your Exprellions were jultly exceptionable.
Digitized by the Center
tt Iff The ChrifiUn Sdhfotk 6 1
I add further ; Though you now tell us, Tou did not fay nor thin^
at ChriB was incarnate at the making of the World (and I believe,
en you conlider of it, you do not think he was) ; yet you do
: retrad your faying, That Our Lord Jefus ChriB did, as our
diator and Redeemer ', create the World &c y and that (as fuch )
( did it Eminently and Especially (in contradiUinftion to the Fa-
er and Holy-Ghoft,) and that Jehovah who made the World, is the
d Jefus CbrtB. Which I do not think to be fate expreffions.
r Norhave you any reafon to charge me (as Rep, p. y.) with In-
Rations againfl the 2>eity of ChriB: (And Iprefume you do not
pert me as to that point, whatever youpieafe here to infinuate.)
all I return you your own words which there follow, Why you
Id thus begin in -a cafe which relates to the Deity of ChriB with
*h infinuations fas if I would derogate from it) for which you have
colour from my Dijcourfe 7 unlefs tt were to infufe fome Prejudice >
ton not willmg to conje&ure t Mult all be thought enemies to the
_ uty of Chriji, who do not approve of vour Saturday fabbathi
El do own that the IDhineTerfon called in Scripture h tiy& the
}Pord y and the Son of God (or God the Son) was from all Eternity
yoith God and was God ( and is God ) and did ( in Union with the
Father and Holy-Ghoft) make the World ; and that the fame 2>hine
Per ion (remaining the fame Terj'$n) was (afterwards) incarnate^
land did (as God and Man) become our Mediator and Redeemer, and
It fuch) is commonly defigned by the title of our Lord Jejus Chriji;
Wit I do, not know that as jucfa he'made the World, (for there is one
mediator between God and Men y the Man Chriji Jefus \ x Tim, 1. y )
Wor do I know that he did enter upon thcExecution of his Mediatory
wfct, or the work of Redemption^ before he was the Seed of the
Woman, that is, before he became Man. *Tis true it was before
Wefigned, and by God Z>«t<v<^ and the Bffeft oS [ it did look back-
ward to thofc before Chrift ; but ;he Execution (of what was be-
fore decreed) was after he became Man ; not before* the Creation of
$e World, And what you allege from Epk 1. 2,^+. the Father hath
fyfen tts in him before the foundation of themorld^ n nothing to the
ftrpofe ; for though we were chofen befure the foundation of thje
torld to be in him, and that we fhould be holy y &c yet 11 was not
ficreed thatweftiould be befote the foundation of the World, : or
Jut we fhould be holy before the fbimdation of xhe. Wprld : and
W 5. having 'Predejlinated us to the Adaption oj ' Chrfdr^n byjejus
vrift ; our Predejiinatioh was beTore, hut^our jiaiptwn hy Jejus
btiJLw& after. Nor was ^ O^Uo^j^^Ca^ ffltdipify oi
tycemer nil the FaU of Map : hut.Uic^^^
62
The Chriftian Sdktk
Part. II,
The Chrifun Sabbath.
*1
(I think) before the Fall ; and therefore not created by Chrifhs,'
Mediator ; but by that Divine Perfon ( in Union with the Father fart I T,
and Holy-Choir. ) who afterward became Man, and was our Ri. u. av ._ . ■ r ,
deeper and /fatfiftr. And if the Creation be more Eminently to be £7'^"? ^ a " d ^ the Seventh day) is no proof that
afcribed to one of the three Perfons rather than the other, I mould £ u f & f l , he N . ew Teftament ( that is the day ot our Lord
dioofe toafenbe it to the Father ( rather than Eminently to the £ t^/A V aT ^^r 0 "^^ JfTT^^
Son) becaufe in our toft* 1 we fay >Mfew in God //^Father ^ fef'^ 7 f «# ^ . For by //jfZ.^ (Jehovah) in the Old
mighty Maker of Heaven and Earth ; and m Jefus Chnjt His onely P ™ n <> » ™ ai " ^ indefinitely ( with joint re fpeft to Father
And we doufe to diftinguifh between God the Creator and J»J d H° v-Chclt^ but the Lord y^&jin theNewTefca-
CAr/j? //j? Redeemer T ^ meant of 0ar W# Wrjf? ( as you cannot but
' Yet I did not nttrMci you for faying that God who created tk S ; i J) ld ^ f Cup of the Lord , w ;Ar
«rtf (Father Son and Holy-Ghoft) « 0«r LordJefusCkrift ; (1 ft* ana ^^.~r ^ Z.w* &pMr, i Cor io. «.
onely explained what 1 meant ; and if you mean fo too, there is no f™ e t*?! ™T [ ™? ^V^^T 5 10 be)
hurt u £) As neither did I reproach you for divers other unl'afe J « e .9j. th f ™» < he ^ °t our * Cfrrf appoint.
Expreffions : As when you tell us Lwi is the Effence of God, En,. W h ,T as the * ° un J^. oi our (Mian Religion ; And accord-
p. if. which Ithould nothavefaid. I know 'us faid that CoW, TTy ] X V\ f ? mefonn > 5 T^X* 13 the
to, ( i >• 4, 8, that is, a Z^*£ God, or a very Lov,n, g ° ^ Was byhim appointed. And to play upon
God and therefore I would fay that Lm is a !©««r Jtf/r/W, J" n *Jf im X ° } the *fi ( which fometimes ilgnines the
or (if you will) an Effential Attribute (refuting from Gods Effence £ f ' n V° m « ,mcs J c ^Cart/I) is but loofe arguing, and
and inseparable from it;) and fo is Hatred and Wt at h (for God ™ US Difpumion. \et tfaisis all you pretend, for proving
dothasweUAreEvilasheiwwGood; and is as well Angry with J* ™« ™*™A f , ^dsjay ^tw.i.io. isthe Seventh-day-fah-
Sin, as P/eafedwith Duty ; ) yet I would not fay that Hatred ad
Wrath are Gods Effence. And you tell us again ( in the fame page) t
that Truth is Gods Effence. I know itis laid that God is a GW ( /' h ^ ,
Truth Deut.32.4. &6rt<J. tandcannotLy,}andrif^/r/>«^ ll jf?i ;h " ft : ^ do in vour ^;// add any new llrength to
Truth (,mU) that is, what the Spirit teffifies is True : YctI ^ old Argument, to take ofF this Anfwer which I gave to it.
would not therefore fay that Truth is Gods Effence (though Truth . * J 11 '" rth " 3« J »« £« the Lords day, jjr«
in God be an Enential Attribute:) For itisfaidalfo that God i s r^^^J'^ as you would have it: Whydoyoufind
a Jealous God, yet I fhould think it a bold expreffion (andjuftly rV^ c w"*? 8 th v" j- y ? , The da y wh / ch Y C obfervc
burnable ) to fay that is Gods ^«re Nor would I iar !/,L7 ^Tl ! j " ^ u^v. ^T^' r " d *l ieep U ^
(as*. 30.) becaufe Godts l/ghtandin htmisno darknefi , fob. ,. f . and by that name it hath been kept from the Apoflles
therefore ^/ is the Effence o\ Gbi : For 'tis faid alfo V ffW ^ W r 1 T'p w«inual Succeffion from that
« * confummlfire, Heb. il 19. Deut. 4. 34. yet I fhould think it J ' ^ h fe? B S" ed ln f ^' I' 1 °„ ^ 7 hl f » ^ hetllc u r " be ^ ™
a very unfavoiry expreffion to fav, * cmfumng fire is Gods EJfenct. ) °* Jf feve « lh ^ a > Jejewiffi Week this is the day we keep.
We fay indeed that Gods ^«>r are not Things j?«#diftinft to ^ the/^day, and you fay tis the/^ day, but
Cut res & res, as the Schools fpeak) but ModaUj at molt, ( or ra- * = v « » " ^"«""«" _and I >;our Mtmds { to which you ap-
ther not fo much, biit onely ration*' ratiocinate,) yet! would not **) Jo no more prove that ^/^/ms in acontmua fucceflion
therefore fay that Love is t{e Effence of God, or that Hatred h zhz th * J ewjft ^an that ^ W /«; £ «, ( ,11 the fame
Effence of God, however EJfentiil to God, as inieparable from his is m cominua fucceffion from the Apofiles Lvds day.
Ellence." f^^T** "■ 5,0 3 : ) L 0U W^ have nothnig^ but 7r«^//;i?« for the 0»e; You have
T6 rctiirn therefore from this Digreffion, and apply it to out
prefent bufinefs; The Sabbath of the Lord our God, ( who made
I ') Heaven
You do not fhew that any where that
Iptf* , or that x«e/«x» doth any
"thing b:;t Tradition for the other; lor there is no man now
mg, that can remember either,
fhould now have done with this point but that I am called upon
p. 40. and again Rep. p, 75-, to anfwer your Colleclicns for the
Seventh
Digitized by the CenteJ^^^BLventist Research
J>art II. The Chrijtun Sabhath. 6$
U TkChriJIUnStlhth, Parrlli after St. >« wrote his Revelation, if not J^"' a "J,Wf f g
I* , , • -n \ „ ■ ■ , , -[mother ot St. Ws dilciples who collected and publhhed the
Sevenjb day m Derogation to the Dominical day , as you cail it * n ° 1 ^ f j { tius toget her with one of his own on that occa-
But why mult dies Dommicus ( lor lo, 1 prefumc you had it in g" m d h fy u (i} n Martyr about twenty years after ; and by /«.
the Latine from whence theie Collections are made) be all alongP 0 "' r , rt J,/J and th l Fathers, Counceh, and Church Hilbry
tranilated the Dtmhucalday, rather than the Lords Jay? Is midksV* us > ^ertuUian, and tne Miners, ,yj . ^ ^ nftf Aenv
minical Orifon for what others in plaiaEnglifh call the Lords Sip
per, and the Lards Vrayer* And why then mult it be with you tk
'Dominical day ! Is it bcaauie you think Dominical, a Finical word?
Or,' becaufe yon would nraute your Englifli Reader to nuke hia
think that the 'Dominical day doth ligiiity ibmewh.it other than til
Lords day f You mind me fometimes el the Records inTar/iamtat;
but you may remember alfo that what in thoie Records, is culled
dies Dominieus in Latine is in the \~%xz& Records ( and A&s of Pah
lament) called, in Englifh, the Lords day cemmonly called Suxdcj,
However, I know no great hurt in the word Dominical ^as to thoft
thatunderfland Latine) fave that it is a needleft Affeilalion: Audi
as lor thofe Englifh Readers who donot 'underltand Latine, I wouid
tell them that the Dominical day is in plain Englifh the Lords dtf,
however you may pleafe to difguife it, with a hard Word. • '
This Colk&ion is a work, it feems,of fome years (in fever*! timti
and in fever al places,, and for divers years, Enq.;>. no. though with
interruptions,) to which, you fay, the DocJorfays nothing, andrt
which the DoBor anjwers not. Tis true 1 did not fay much to it,
becaufe 1 thought it not to need aa Aafwer, and was conteated u
trull: the Reader with it. r .t v \.i . u-uk
But lince you caii upon me to anfwer it, I Have looked it over
again, and though I am llill of the fame miad, yet lhall comply
with you therein. ,
Thequellion we are now upon, is, whether the Dominical
have been all along obferved; and what you have to fay againflu
in thefe Collections : lor {hewing When the obfervation of the Jevcnti
day ended, and when the obfervation of the [fir ft day began amon$.
Chriftians, Enq. pag. 8 r- But if you admit that the obfervatiol
of the Seventh t day ended when that of the Firft day began, K
mull be very early.
That the Lords-day was obferved very early, not onely by St
John, Rev. t. 10- but by his Difciple Ignatius within ten year)
" atte
[to be authentick.
F Your Colleaion begins Enq. p. 91. and ends pag. 130. with many
|f your Defcants intermixed. ) Wherein you gl ve us ( it I do not
fcif.reckon) between^ and tbreefcore teftim'onies for the obfe -
vatton of L Lord's V(or,as you pleafe to caU it the
2k) in the Firft, Second, Third, Fourth, Filth, Sixth Century,
k ami fo downward! Befide which you tell 111. mp&p
home ExpreffionsinHrfiry (how many, 5011 do not tell us) ;«>
WZr of tie firft day, ( which 'tis Candid to Confefs, but Partiality
fo tol) WyoVtellusA He who mil tazepam* may
l L much rmre m Binius, the Magdeburgenjes »<W<**?-
And thefe Teftimonies for the Domimcal day, ( if your Dates be
tight) begin very Early, in the Ftril Century ; that is, I fuppole,
befo e sTWj writing the Revelation. Our Saviours death was
a ou year oflhat Century and S. ,John wrote : hts Reve^
lation about theV or W «" Jft thereof, fome years befo e h is
death: for he lived till within a year or two of the end ot
^YoSuI" f. 96. That in the fir/1 Century, Contentions were
flirted up about celebrating the Paft-over upon the Z)-o #
And though pag. 111. you mince the matter a little by calling it
TutTfecoWor thirl Century, yet even there you cite Lmus
Cent 1 B 1. and you there own this Dom meal day ( that is, m
pfam Engliul the lords day) to the firft day
the Jemjh Sabbath. Though elfewhere you would have « that
the Lords day mentioned by John Rev t : 10. "
Jath, Enq. fa. And you infill upon it Rep. 0. 39; tha t th Lords
day Rev. i. to. is not onely the name of a day buf the name of the
Seventb-day Sabbath. And Enq. p. 69 that 'tts a Steahnga^ay the
' lords.da/jiom the Seventb-da) Sabbath and gtvmgthat name to be
) firft day : Mi great endeavours you ufe to perfwade us lo to think.
ad great endeavours you 1
■
Digitized by the Centei
565 The Chtiftian Sabbath. Part It
Enq atfo.toAfip . and^p . ?, 7, if. .p. 39 , 40. though you
cotitcis (Em p . 6+ .) that/w» Text or Context you find nothing
very conjiderable to that purpofe. 6
Notf what you call about thefecondor third Century, is (by your
-own citation) ;« f&jfrj* cWtfuiy, and in all likelihood while St.
John wis yet alive, and even before he wrote the Revelation.
Yet I will be juft to you ; Jnicetus and ViHor ( whom you cite
as concerned in this bufinefs, p. 9 <J.) were Bifhops of Roine in the
JecondCcnnuy (not inthefirif;) but the difpute about it was older
thanlo- and/. 114, youc i tc jfc^ to the fame purpofe,
who was before either of thofe two; And p. p6. (as before) and
again />. n 3 . you own it to have been in the firft Century ; and
B*ifo) t S™ US ' Cent ' l ' B ' l6 ' * nd again ZW ' 1
I .did not expert thnMt.Bampfield would have fbrnilhed us wit
?„ S? WCS fo ancient (as in the firfi centmy, while fome of th
Apoftles wereyet living) for the obfervation of Eajier, (though
juh fome difference about the day) and (at/,, tl) e l cko nSt
Taul amongft thofe who fo obferved it
frSlL^I* y ° U ? U U l £w? " * at foRie ke P J Eafter <w AS
day of the week, others on the fourteenth day of the firjl month
™TTT B ' 1 £ ^4ls to bfamXke
Thofe w ho kept it on the firfi day of the Wee^ ( on which Chri
a\v*TJ S Sf^f^ >/ * on that
Sf2S^feL / *^ HW ? « on ^f^enthday
L! ««»^ (whatever day of the week it happened to be) For
this was ; neither the day of the tTeek, nor the Say of the Mmth
on which Chnft Rofe, but on which he Died. And therefore kept
it either *s z Contmuation of the>«^ n/i-ovToa S' Z t
this is be We our bufinefs, and therefore I pafc it.
/ 7° U . teI V U £ *£ 8 * of rtf Vernal and M-
lZtc ? T m T P""*fiil *» not underftand { nor,
I fuppo e, do you ) nor fhall I trouble my fell to make/,,* of it
But will excufe it as being a thing out of your rode. ' '
Now how foon fo ever the controverfy did arife about keeoin*
tel u ty e, 5 ifll ) And whtyou
S /Lvf % P * ^^hatyou /«y^ the/e authorities, tofhevo that
I / 11 ff S ? '{* World did vbtch was ( by Tradition)
%M 't d ^f M Jt F ^ ^ °f tbt (iuftould haJc
added, and whtch ms the Vommm/day) and thtlthey Tapeed,
you
Part IL The Ckrifiim Sabbath* 67
you fay ? (but it was by tradition) to call the Seventh Jay of the week,
the Sabbath day ; you fhould have added, and the faji day of the
week, the Z>ominkal day. You might have obferved alio that all
this for the Sabbath day is but (what you call) Tradition, and the
fame Tradition is as full for the Dominical day (the Lords day ) being
the FtrB day of the week For how came they thus to agree in the
fftb Century } the time you cite? Was it not from a preemption
•that ( from Ch rifts time downward) by a continued tradition from
(hand to hand the memory o$ the Seventh day (of the Jewifh Week.)
was prefcrved, and the memory of the Lords day like wife? And by
0 like Tradition (and no otherwife) is the fame memory preferved
(from the fifth Century to-our Time. 1
1 You do not deny therefore, the dominical day (the Lords day)
rtohave been then obferved all along, and by that name, and taken to
be the fame with the firft day of the ( Jewilh ) Week Which is the
thing I was to prove.
; But, you tell ns, p. pi. that in fome places there were publick
djjemblies m other days alfo ; f A nd no doubt but there were ; like
:3s now there are publick Aflemblies for Prayers and Sermons on
^week-days, and in fome places every day, for thofe to repair to
who have leifure and opportunity ot fo doing:) And you name
me Sabbath, the "Dominical day, the fecond and fourth of the Sabbath
\{vohkhyou take to be Monday and Wcdnefday)*and Parajceven (which
ma take to be Good Friday, (perhaps others may take it to be every
^ Friday) p, 92,93, 94, 97, 99. But ftill you own the "Dominical day
Uzas one; And then, their meeting alfo on fome other days, doth
Hot gain-fay their obferving of this day. '
V You tell us />■ 94- and again p. 99. that amon»ji the days for pub-
miaffembltes the ^Dominical day is mojtly named, (as being indeed
the chief day fo obferved, ) but amongfi fome (you fay ) the day
tf the Sabbath is found, (but not alone without the Lords day, or
in (lead thereof.) And again The Dominical day was folemn to ChrU -
ftians, but amongB other feHivals mention is made of the Sabbath :
And yet again, When they did affemble, and how often, is not ex-
prejly written but the mofi mention is made of the Sabbath and of the
Dominical day. So (till the Lords-day is one } whatever other days
htfometimcs or fomewbere obferved.
Von own alfo, p. 97. that of thefe two days mdftly named, the
Domtn'cal day was preferred ; and that, on the Sabbath day they were
mt tojudaize but might work, but not on the Dominical day ; and this
as old at leaft as the fourth Century, by your own cita'tion. And
many fuch teiUmonics you give us all along, of not working on the
A . ^minify
tist Research ' ^ Utojiia Park
68 The Chnfiian Sabbath. Part II.
Dominical days, but fpending them in Religious Exercifes. And
own that (at leaft as early as the Twelfth Century) it was called
the Chriftian Sabbath, p. 9 y« Which doth not well agree with wha^
you have pag. 118. where you would have us think it was not lo
called till by jome late writers, within Eighty years or thereabout.
You own alfo this difference, as high at leaft as the fourth Cen.
turv, p. 9 a, 93. ( though at /. lot. you would have us think this
coufiitution not to be earlier than the twelfth Centuty,) between the |
Dominical day anl the Sabbath (between the Lords day and Satur-
day) that Saturday was kept as a Faft (in memory of Chnfts lyingj
in theGrave that day ) but the Lords day as a Feftival ( in memory
of Chrifts Refurrection) p. pi,93> °4> 91>&k $ 8 > IO, » T ,°*>
But, publick,Faftingdays {you tell us/>. 93.) were kept holy toGoi\
as well as Feft'tvals; and there doth appear no great difference whether ,
they Feaft or Fajt on that day. Surely there is. The Sabbath (La
13. i, 3.) is to be kept as a Feaft of the Lotd; and therefore to
Faft on that day, is not to keep this Sabbath. You fay further, that,!
jomeperfons and in Jome places did not faft but dine upon this day.
That is, ( if I do not mifunderftand it ) they did notfo much as keep
it as a Faft. But however, the Lords day was kept, and kept as 4
TeH'sval. . *
Some (you tell us p. 109, no, in, 114.) did keep their Sab-
bath from Saturday noon, or from Saturday three a-clock, till Sun-
riftng on Monday morning. But this makes nothing again!! the Lords ■
day, for that was therein obferved intirely, and hedged-in on
both fides.
You tell us p. 0J-. that on the Sabbath day, William the Conquero«\
on the principal Feaft had magnificent andfumptuous banquets, whtco\
the) called a profanation of the Sabbath. But which of the days ( the
firft or the feventh) you cannot certainly fay, but Think, (you tell us)
// was the Seventh-day fabbath. What if 1 fhould think it were the
Firslday Sabbath; were not My Thinking as good authority as
yours? Since you own p. 9?. that, about that time, the Lords di)\
was called the Cbriftian Sabbath. And I doubt fome other of youf
citations in favour of Saturday, may ( if well examined ) be found
to refer to the Sunday- fabbath. But I do not trouble my felt to ex«
amine them.
You tell us, pag. 1 1 y, 1 it, 118, 1 to, that (in England) we bam
no Statute made for Sunday (that you know of ) till that in Edward
the Sixth's time. But doth that prove the Lords day was not till
then obferved in England f (But you own the Kings Writs, and Or-
der of the Lord jMayor, to that purpofe, older than fo.) Do yc*
irt II. The Chrijlian Sabbath. 69
low of any Statute or Aa of Parliament (before that time ) made
%\ or for Saturday Jabbath ! There was no Imperial Law fife,
know of) older than Conftantme, fo. "the txerafe «ff%»-
j» Religion; but arc we therefore to think it was notpiaBijed
feitrMyou tell us,. , >T» h "Hellions sou can
ie with your few books, that, for noo ftan or more they (in
neland) received the Observation of Sunday, (However, this is long
"fore King Edward the Sixth's time.) But in the year 1 too you
Z it p. us- But do you find that, before that time, thev kept
Lr Sabbath oa Saturhy! No: Nordo you find, it feems whether
Jfore that time they did keep any Sabbath at all You fay, they
hA x weekly day of Reft, (I fuppoie they had, and that it was the
\1rds dlycLmU UedSuJl ) But all ^old^ecordsyet ex
W tt J„ down to this day, you fay, do callit (that .day of reft) the
ibatlday. I do not know where to find thofe old records (olde
un the year xioo) v>h.ch tell us that Saturday was their H cehy
ETxk Itmay betruethatin old Records ( I know not whe-
wrViold) and in J™**" too, Saturday is called dies Sabbat % and
i is at th,s day, (as being the fuppofed day of the Jjwjfs*
la I Yet, not Saturday bJthe LorJs day is our weekday of Res!
nd I was 0 ( for ought vou fhew to the contrary ) ever flncc
Eiftianit, was received amongft us. You own that fincethe
f car i 00, tie Lords day hath been received as our weekly day of Reft
ana fo it 1 at this day/though Saturday ) is yet called dies Sabbat,
\ And when vou produce thofe Records (older than the year 1 100,
,5 therein you find Saturday called dies Sabbati, I fuppofc we fhaU
Here find Sunday called dies Dommtcus.
1 You tell us of Markets kept on the Dominical day p. 116. in tne
Le of King Jcbn and Henry the Third. This perhaps may prove
ha it was not fo well obferved as it ought to be; but it doth not
,rove \i not to be at all obferved. For this was after theyeamoo,
Sen you own the Lords day to be received. You tell us £«f P-J9,
WiVZZ elfewhere, in the time of Nehem ah (znd before the
tlotivitv) of Markets kept on the Jewijh Sabbath ; but doth it thence
at all obferved ? In the mean time, were no tffariets held on 6>
turday? This you fiiould have proved, to have proved a preference
Ef Jturday-fabbath to the Lords day: (Otherwife, this proves no
Lnto^tyMtonhx Monday J abbath.) But-you fhew
>t a word of this.
You
ed by the Cei
rentist Research
70 The Chrifti&n Sabbath. Part IH
You tell mp. 117. (much to the famepurpofe) out of Mr. Trin
that we find by the Writs to fummon Parliaments that they were 0}
old appointed to meet upon Sundays ( I fuppofe you mean, fometimes,
not always,) even in the time Eaw.I. Edvo. II. Edw. III.
which Edw. I fucceeded Hen. III. who fucceeded King John. The
Succeffions you reckon right ; (But all thefeare fince the year'rioo.) \
Pray do me the favour (next time you examine thofe Records) to
inform me, whether (in thofe Writs of Summons and in the Re*
cords of thofe Parliaments) the Sunday be not called dies Dtminicus.
For if fo, Sunday was then the Lords day, and fo reputed, though
Parliaments did fometimes meet on thofe days. • And I have the
more reafon to think fo, becaufe even here you call it the Dominical
day, which I prefume you would not have done if it had not been
there dies Bomintcus.
I remember that in the Reign of Kins Charles I, (if I were not
then mif-informedj they were wont to lit infrivy-Counfel and hear >
Caufes, on Sundays in the afternoon ; (whether well or ill I am not'
now todifpute,) and I have heard the reafon afligned, becaufe they
could not meet on a better day than when there were folemn Prayers
for them in all the Congregations of England. And I have been told '
(and perhaps you may remember it) that in the late Reigns, it was
then ufual to plays at Cards on Sundays. Shall we thence conclude,
the Lords-day was not then obfetved in England? You know the
contrary.
But, you fay further, Hick II. who was depofed (you fay) by
his Popifh rebellious Subjeffs frd Clergy ( what's this to the purpofe }
and on whom is this intended to reHeft ? on thofe of 48 ? or thofe
of 88 ? or of <Jo? ) who fucceeded Edw. Ill the Parliament ap-
pointed to meet upon Sunday, met that day and adjourned till Monday;
From which time Prinfays, no Parliaments have been fummoned to
meet on the Dominical day. (Doth Mr, Pr/Vcall it the Dominical
day r) I confefs I have not examined all the Records to anfwer this
Allegation : But perhaps you may remember that (within our me-
mory) Olivers Triennial? ar foments were ordered to meet on Sep j.
whatever day of the week it might happen to be ; and that the firft
of thofe Triennials did meet on Sunday, Sept j, i6?+ did then (I
think) hear z Sermon, and adjourned till Monday. And you may re-
member that in the year 1641, the Parliament then fate on a Sunday,
and their Printed Votes for that day, bear date Die Vominico %.Aug.
1641. and if you fcarch the Journals of Parliament, for that time,
you will find it fo. But fhill we thence conclude, That, in thofe
years, the Lords day was not obferved in England? I fhould rather
from
irtll Tk Chrifoan. Sabbath. 71
thence conclude (and we know it was fo) that it was obfer-
, elk their Votes would not have been dated Die Dominico.
•You tell u* feveral times, that there be fome Chrijhans who to
l day do obferve Saturday, and yoi; tell us p. 110. who rhofe are,
w Eabijjincs, or Mid-land Ethiopians (the fame people, but by a~
rther name. ) Purchas, you fay, writes of the Habijtnes, as obfer-
ng the Saturday Sabbath. What ? that day folely, in oppofition
Ithe Lords-day ? No ; but they hep it folemnly equal to the Domini-
Hday, for which you cite Brerewoed's Enquiries. And lout of San*
Travels ) they celebrate Saturday (as he calls it J as well as Sunday.
u own therefore their Celebration of the Lords-day; and there-
:e not of Saturday in fieadof //, or in Oppofition to it
But you fhould have told us alfo (whicli is a fecond anfwer to
4 Allegation) that the fame Habijfines do obferve Circumcifion al-
-ind fo dojudaize in more things than one. And when they retain
"nmcijkn (not in oppofition to, but) in conjunftion with Bap.
j no wonder if they retain xhtjewijh Sabbath togerher with
Lords-day,
r ou tell us,/. 119. that the Grecians and their Churches (that
fome of them, not AH,) do keep tie Saturday Fejihal^ that is (as
pur felf expound it) they eat Flejhon that day \ and forbid to Faji
any Saturday except Eajler-eve. (For you tell us p. ?8. that by
rag, is meant, NoUDining; and accordingly, to Dine is your
eftival ; and fo you diftinguifli it Enq> p. pj, lome Dined and fome
? *jted on the Sabbath day. ) But do they not obferve the Lords-day ?
es ; they celebrate divine fervice as folemmly on the Sabbath as on the
mmica) day. ( We are then fafe as to this point. ) But you need-
not have gone fo far; you might have found thofe nearer home,
ho folemnly Celebrate divine feivice on fPednefdays, Fridays, and
iturdays, as well as on the >Lords- day ; (and in fome places, on e-
ry day of the week ; ) But do they therefore not obferve the Lords
I You tells us/>. 1 1 of divers Provinces of Chriftians, fubiea to
^Patriarch of Constantinople. Well. But are there any oi thefe
vimes which do not obferve the Lords-day f and are you fure
i do ( all of them) celebrate divine fervice on Saturday alfo ? -
|¥ou tell us p. \\$. that in in the year z$s$, there were (you
uk at Some) fome Sabbatarians; who, it fecms, held that the Z)o-
Vcal day was not to be obftrved ; but who are faid to be otherwise
teticaL But doth it thence follow, that the Lords day was not
en obftrved at Some t Perhaps it may be faid, a hundred year
lice, that, about this time, Mr. Bampjield wrote a Book for the
Satur*
Digitized by the Centej
ti&t Research
?£ TkChrifiUtSahbath. Part IE
Saturday- fabbath ; But thill it be thence, concluded, that the LarA
no* generally obferved in England? Perhaps it may \A
Z\C at fonfe ^ ofofc Lords-day, there b«n H
ftif&M and fomc other Profanations ? But mult it be thence conJ
MBS? the Lords-day is not at all celebrated becaufe there a«|
fome who profane it ? as there always was, and always will be, I
long as there be wicked Men in the world. _ ■
You had told us, (much to the fame purpofe) p. ioc. that «
iU Zr7o V fame are /aid to preach W^^;
Grecian Cujlome, That It was a Vuty to wor/bip upon the Sabbath A
like as upon the Dominical day. There was it leems(evcn _ by tliofifl
no doubt mlde of the Lords-day, theonely doubt was,
Saturday alfo. And the like (tor ought appears) might be the f «H
of youi Mother Sabbatarians in tor it is but itjeems^ ; 5 o»fl
fclfciteit) that they were againftobferving the Lords-day, )«■
^ do not affirm it, or 'that your Author fo fays ; onely ttfeems fr*
you ; (becaufe they are called Sabbatarians.) I
Yoi tell us p. iox. that S*crvi/« Schola/licus (in the fourth CcaJ
■ tury) about the Vkerfity of Obfervathns m divers places, toucbM
Ea/tt, Fafling, Marriage, Service, with other h celt -fiaft ica IR /ftJ
fays, Twbing the Commtnion there are fundry f^T™%
Yomes,for though in a manner aU Churches throughout the wM
World do celebrate and receive the holy <SMyJleries, (that is, thc Cofflj
munion or Lords Supper) every Sabbath day aft er other ( lu
is, as well on Saturday, as on any other day of the Week ) jet *
People inhabiting Alexandria and Rome,of an old tradition do not 1^
it, (that is, becaufe, as you tell us elfewhere, they ufed to FaJiuM
Saturday in memory of Chrifts lying in the Grave on that da|
they did not ufe on Saturdays to have the Communion or LoJ
Supper, as on other days they had, as-there : was occafion .] I A*
here you run out into a large defcant about Holy Mfertes; hat7J
celebrating and receiving the Holy dHyJieries you take to be ■ their M
lick weekly Ajfemblies for Preaching, and for Hearing the Gm
preached, for Prayers and Praife,and for Baptifm and tbe ^ffim
&c Now if you will take it fo to be, who can can help it ? Otnen
I fuppofe, will take the receiving the Holy Myfleries to be the rem
ving tie Lordsfupper in particular ; for you tell us tis the van*
ofCuftomes touching the Communion And then you tell us, we m
here Socrates a learned writer pofilively affirming all the Churm
every where throughout the World, as every wee{_came about, hoiam
then- Religious Allemblies, celebrating the Myfiertes, 1. e. admmjtrm
Baptifm, the Lords Supper, 'Prayer, 'Preaching, Singing, &c. «/J
ft II. The Qhriftim Sabbath. 73
Sabbath day, that is the Scventh-dayfab&ath, upon every Seventh
after other, except the Alexandrians and Romans; who then refund
'as ah [the Chrifiim Churches in the world be/ides did, (which
ur detcant^not Socrates s words.) And a great Harangue abow
we have for the greateft part of two pages,/>. 1 oa,i o j. and you
t it again and again afterwards. And when all comer, to al],i't is
more but this, that the Churches of Rotne and Alexandria, (who
as all other Churches did, obferve the Lords-day, but did ufc
fy? upon Saturday,) did not ufe on Saturday (their day of fall) to
brate the Lords Supper (as on other days they did, as there was
lion;) whereas other Churches (whicS did not life to fait on S j-
■y) did {as there was occafion) as well on that day, as any other,
brate the Communion, from time to time. Surely you will not
nd (out of Socrates) that tbofe other Churches did not obferve '
Dominical day: For that is contrary to your whole Collc&ion. So,
all this is hutgreat Cry andltttletVoollMow <foth this prove that
did not obferve the Lords-day ? Which yon know they did. *
. that of all that we have heard hitherto, there is not one alle-
on, that I can fee, of any people, who (whatever other cay*
did obferve) did not obferve the Lords-day,
tot you tell us a long ftory, with your Defcant about it, p. ic6.
fo onward to p. i l6. as if the Obfervation of the Lords day
e not received in Scotland till the year 1x03, becaufe of a La : j.
made toF that purpofe {you think )■ by the King and farlimem
vtlond Which I take to be much like to what you tell us elfe-
■re,/>. t iy, 117. of no Law for it in England by tit King and
liament nil Edward the Sixth's time.) And would have it
gbt, that, till then, the Saturday-Sabbath was there obferved,
this 1* to beg what you were to prove. If they did not till
receive the Lords day ( which I do not believe, ) vbu fliould
Cproyed that they obferved (before that time) any Sabbath at all
in all your long Story, I do not find one word to that purpofe .So
(for ought appears) the queftion was not between Saturday 'fab-
i*\\&Smd*y-jabbath ; but between Sabbath and No- fabbath. And
u think this an honour to them that they were the laft in this fart
r IF irld % which admitted the Ftrft day, p. 1 1 1 \ 1 j £ I do not take
p be at all an honour , that till then they had no Sabbath at all.
I do not doubt, for my o\vn part,but that when they firft received
lftianity, they did with it (as other nations did) receive,
Lords^day. For whether Chriftiamty were in Scotland firffc
ted by the Wefiein Teacher s 7 or (as you think p. n 3.)
he Greciansy the Lords-day was.obferved by both : for though
; K they
74 The Chrifttitt Sabbath. Part II.
they differed as to the point of Eafter, ( not whether it (hould to
obttrved or no, but on what day it Ihould be obferved ) they did not
differ as to the Lords-day ; but both agreed, as well that it Jhsuldii
obferved, as onwhat day. And from whether foercr of the tw<^ \L<trds.d*y for as you call it the Dominical day) is
the Scots received their Cbrtflianity, from the fame ( I doubt not) peed to figmfv the firfi day of the week in cont
they received a I fo the Obfervation of the Lords^day, which was t he Jewifb Sabbath.
art IL The Chrifiian Sabbath. 7S
It appears alfo, all along, from your own Collection, that from
f fir ft Century (in the Apples time) to this dzy,dies2)emmicus,
on all hands
contradiftmaion
ihejewtfb Sabbat b.
common to both. . And whereas you reproach us fo often with Some, the £cma-
But I do not think it Orange at all, confide ring the temper o!^ the Roman World, Rotmjh Traditions, &c. (about no tune,
mankind, ( who are naturally more intent on things of this world, taore in your £« ? «/ry, and v ery often, though not fo often in
than on.matters ot Religion, ) that they might by degrees grow re- mr Rt pty as if thc obfervation of the Lcrdlday or as vou call
mifsmit, and the thing be much neglected (as was thfi JcwiUi <he 'Dominical Day, came. onely from Romifh Ufurpat '10% i (impo-
Sabbath m Aehemabs time and long before. ) And even where* 1 0 f Laws «pon all the World) \ x% notonoufly knoWn that i/na
is eibbhfhed by Law, there is frequent occafion of new laws to t) Tolycarpjuflin Martyr, Irenes and others, were none of the
inforce and revive the old ones from time to time : As in EngM n ijh florid, but Greek Fathers, and antecedent to the Romilh
(we find) it hath been. fcpation, which you own, {Enq. p. not to be aflumedin
And this I fuppqfe was the cafe of Scotland at that time, anl vs Centuries ( divers hundred years ) after their time
perhaps of England too ) that is, the Lords-day being too mucb fris man if e ft therefore {from your own Collection) that the
neglected, and perhaps in fome places difufed, needed a new Lw trds-day, was thefirftday ofthe week (not the feventh) and ft
for the better obfervation of it; as was in Aebemiabs time fa tote d, and known by that name even in the firfttentury, where-
the Jewtfb Sabbath. But to think that the Saturday jabbato W the Apoft i es lived) (and before St y ohn wroM ^ Re £ hlioiJ \
been till then obferved and now to bechangd lor the Lords J* h dhath beenfo reputed ever fince, and as fuch general] y obfervca
isafanfyofyours without any foundation. If you would IroB Chilians wherever they obferved any Sabbath at all ■ And
hence prove any thing to the pitrpofe you fnould have fhexye^ Jon fpeak^y. p. 93. ) aUCbnftians in the World did agree,
that, before that time they had obferved the Jcwtfb Sabbath. M t which was the Lords-day, as ) which was the Sabbath : and if
of this, here is not the leal* miration in all that you produce. t f 0i then (as p] -, 8 ,) aU C hrijlians hitherto in the worldmufi be out
I have nowconlider d your Colleton (becaufe you thought it ol & ir reckoning, (and to the fame purpofe 'Rep. p. 3. ) which if iv
concernment that I mould fo do,) and have done it fairly, tabnj % good arguniciu t0 prove that cur Saturday h the Tews Sabbath,
it juft as you give it us, without <o much as confuting any of the )rom as weI1 that 0Ur w is the L / dU 7
Books which you cite (to fee how fair y you Mvt :tran/!ated ad Sut vhen r fay lt hath been Ve»enz& fo obferved : I do not
reprefented whzt there you find :) which Books, if I had conful- to it 0 f wry Jingle per/on : (For no doubt but that fome perfons
ted, I doubt not but I might there have met with much m den- w call themfclvcs thrifiians, may be fo profane as to keep no
ganon of what you would thence perfwade ns. U ath . Q[ {o remifs ( as ou f ea J k E /^n) as KOt £ uch
So that upon the whole matter, there is nothing appears in ltaU : And that fome others may havehad fome peculiar Whi
ur whole Colle&on but that ^where any Sabbath (or day of t of their own;) But m church, or Society of Chri/iians ( tl
yon
Holy Reft) was at all kept amongft Chriftians, the Lords-day m\
there obferved; and whatever other days wt-rc obferved alfc («1
manjr were in many places, and ftill are,) it was not'any where is
oppojitton to the Lords-day, but in concurrence with it. As, amongB,
us, there be frequent Week-day Leftures, and publick Prayers, w
thofe to repair to whofe occafions and opportunities do permit a
and in Colicdges^ Cathedrals, and many other Churches and Chf\
pels, every day ; btit no where in tppofifim to the Lmds day.
lc
v that
know of) who kept any Sabbath at all, who did not obferve the
ds-day,
have now done with that point (and fliewed,! think, fuffici.
y) that the Lords'-day, Rev. x JoVis (as our Records and ABs
filament call it ) the Lords-day 7 commonly called Sunday.
Knd I fhall here conclude that firft point, to warrant our Obfer-
ion of that day, from thofe Many and Great Precedents that
lave of fuch Obfervation, by- Chrijl aad his dpojtles, and the
Kz ■ Chri*
by the Cente
7 6 Tk Chriftun Sdbatk Fart I
Chrijlian Churches, both in that age f and ever Jincc,
By the Example of Chrift, who on the day of his Refurreffa
(which is by all agreed to be ibefirji day of the week) Treadm
that do&rine to the Women who came to the Sepulcher, and tha
to the two difciples going toEmmaus, and Celebrating the Lori
Supper with them ; and afterwards affembling with bis Difciples a
Jerufalem, Tr caching to ttem the fame do&rine, Reproving thci
Unbelief, Confirming their Faith, Blefftng their Aflembly, GWj*
them to the Office of Apoftles (who before were Difciples) w
giving them InftruBions for "Planting the Chriftian Church in A
Nations , of Gentiles as well as Jews.' , a J
By his fecond affembling with them' on the next Lords day, lu
ving intermitted all the intermediate days, even that, of the7^j
Sabbath , ( as appears jfoL 21 . 1, 14. where when after thefe thim
he a&injbewed himfelf to them at the Sea of Tiberias, 'tis exprcl
noted , This is now the Third time that Jefus (hewed himfelf to k
Difciples after he was rifen from the Dead ; and therefore k
twice before, not on the Jewifh Sabbath which came betweea
Which /^w/^allembling tfasimployed in luch Religious Exercijt
as was the firlt.
By the Miraculous Effufion of the Holy-Ghoft, with the Gift
Tongues, on the day ot Pentecoft ( which was alfo the firft day of I
week, being the morrow after the Sabbath, ) when alfo, upon Petti
lung Sermon, were added to the Church about three Thoufand Jm
By St, Tauh Aflenibling with a Urge Congregation of Difcipli
then met at Troas purpofely to break bread (or celebrate the Lsri
Supper ) as being the firji day of the week (proper for fuch religioi
exercife, ) to them a long Sermon, and celebrating tl
Lords Supper with them.
By St. Tauh Dire&ons to the Churches of Galatia, and to the
at Corinth (who had their folemn Affembhes, or gathering togethd
in the name of our Lord Jefus, 1 Cor. ?. 4. ) that on every firft A
of the week (x* yS*y <mCC*?at) they Qiould have a Cotte&ion for A
Saints, 1 Cor. 16- Which doth fufficiently intimate, m mat^
it was, that they were wont to have fuch folemn Affcmblics.
By St. Johns being in the Spirit on the Lords day, a day at ti
time known by that name, even before his writing the Revelati\
and both in that age and ever Jince (as appears from your own Cfl
Bions ) underfiood to be the firft day of the week, and obferved
fuch ; the Dominical day (as you tranflate it ) and the firft day op
week, being (to ufe your own language) by all Chriftians in the
akgn to be the fame : and was, as fuch, folemnly obferved ; prefefl
a
PartlL
The Chriftian SahUth*
IT
' t
after the Apoftles time (as well as in it ) as appears from Ignatius,
Tolycarpj Juftin&fartyr, Ircnaus, and others, who were none of
the Romijh IVorld, and lived! before the Romijh Ufurpation, which
was not ( as you acknowledge) lor many ages after that time.
And all thefe precedents fo fully cleared from thofe little excep-
tions (if I may fo call thero) that I fee no reafon in the leaft to
Sieftion the matter of fail. Or if what I think w^and little you
ink to he great and momentous, I cannot help it. Let the Reaaer
judge.
Now what was thus pra&ifed by Chrift himfelf, and by his
Apoftles, and by thefe caufed to be pra&ifed in the Conftitution of
the Chriftian Church, we have no caufe to doubt but that they had
fufiicient authority for fo doing. Other wife we are at a lofs as to
moft of what was done by them. They did appoint Deacons in the *
Church Jerufalem, Ail 6. And, becaufe they did it, we prefume
they had authority fo to do, Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders in
every Churchy in their progrefs Aft. 14. (whether "Deacons alfo in
every Church, or there anely where they faw occafion, we cannot
tell.) And Timothy at Ephefus, by Tauh direction, <was to do the
like there, as to Bifhops and Deacons, 1 Tim. 4. And Titus had the
like order for Creet to ordain Elders in every City, Tit, f , j. And I
find a Bifhcp there named, ver. 7. But whether Bijhop and Elder he
there the fame, or how they differ, I lift not here to difpute 7 kcaiife
it is nothing to the prefent purpofe : But of Deacons I find there
no mention. And becaufe thefe things were done, we prefume
they had fufiicient authority fo to do: though we do not find,
from Chrift, any expreft Command in particular for each of thefe.
And the like to the Corinthians for their Church Affembhes, and
therein for Excommunicating, or delivering to Satan, of the In-
ceftuous Corinthian. 1 Cor. f^f* And their praUtfe is to us a fuffici- -
ent warrant for fo doing. And the like for their Celebrating the
Lords-day.
Now when the Lords-day was thus celebrated by thrift, by the
Apoftles, and by the Chriftian Church then, as well as everfmce ; and
called iyXejL&ttw the Lords day, juft in the fame form as Almt
the Lords Supper ; I think it reaftnuble to underftand the
fame word in the fame/ftf/? as to both : And as Amo* we^x/? the
Lords Supper fignifies the Feaft or Supper, commanded by our Lord
. (meaning Our Lord Jefus Chrft, as founder of the Chriftian Religion ;)
fo j'jiW At/tut^ the Lords day fhould fignify the day commanded by our
Lord ( in the fame fenfe ) though that command be not particularly
recorded. Like as we* may reafcnably fuppofe, that the Wprftiip-
Kvv
Digitized 4>y the Center,
dentist R
78 The Chriftian Sabbath. Part II.
ing of God by Sacrifice (before the Flood) was commanded, (be-
caufe it was accepted) though that command be not recorded; and
that thediftin&ion between Clean and Unclean Beq/ts was (before
the Flood) commanded (becaufe approved by God) though that
command be not recorded ; and that there was command (though
not recorded) for taking the fire for incenfe from the Altar, elle
Nadab and Ahihu would not have been deftroyed for offering ftrange
fire ; and as (befide Gods reftingGtn. 2. 2,3. J You do fuppole Adam
and Eve were commanded to r<r// alfo, though that command be not
recorded: So, we may reafonably believe that the obfervatiort of
the Lords day, was by our Lord commanded (becaufe fo pra&ifed
by himfelf and the Chriftian Church) though that particular Com-
mand be not recorded. And this, though not recorded, feems to havfe
been then fo well known, that it was received without any fcruple
(that we find) as well as Baptifm and the Lords Supper ; All the
cpeftion was, .whether they mult with Baptifm xttiinCircumcifion;
and the Jewifh Pafiover with the Lords Supper ; and, with the Lords
day, the Jewifh Sabbath alfo. All which points the Apoftle leaves
indifferent as to the Jews (to whom they had been a Law ) that
each one might pra&ice according as they were perfwaded (and
did himfelf comply therein; ) but not as to the Gentiles, to whom
it had not been a Law.
And this I think fufficient as to the Observation of the Lords day.
The next point is, Whether the Lords day, thus obferved, may
be called a Sabbath. For that is the great Obje£Hon, If fo obferved,
and wont to be fo obferved, yet not upon a Sabbatical account, nor
is it any where called a Sabbath. Rep. p. 3 7.
Now if I fhould admit (which I am not forward to do) what you
have Rep. p.jo. that all Judaical Obfervations of 2)dyr, whether
Feafts or Fa/Is, Weekly, Monthly or Annual, were called their Sab-
baths : Or what you have Enq. p. 93. tVben Chrijiiansdo agree upon
a day to a/femblefor the publick worfhrp of God, there doth appear no
great difference whether they Fa/lor Feaft upon that day: We need
not be much follicitous about the Name. For, at that rate, no doubt
but this may be ealled a Sabbath. And accordingly, becaufe the Pafi-
over and Pentecoft, are called Feftivals, Lev. 23. you call them
Sabbaths, Rep./>. 48.
But I am not willing to admit that loofc acceptation of the Word:
but take it to be a Sabbath in the proper fenfc of the word Sabbath
in the Fourth Commandment : that is, the Seventh day of Reft, next
after Six days of Labour. For fo it is, if the Lords day be duly ob-
ferved
1
Digitizedfev the Center
Part II. The Chriftiw Sdlath. 7<?
fcrved as it ought to be ; and, as fuch, is within the profpe& of the
Fourth Commandment, what ever Name we call it by. For, in all
the Precedents before alleged, we do not find any other than Re-
Jigious Exercifes therein performed, or what is confident with
fuch. And if your rule be good, to which you refer Ejnq. p. 47.
de non ex/ftentibus fa non apparent ibus eadem eft ratio : Or, what you
would fujpofc. Rep. p. 33. that Paul's preaching in the Synagogue did
comprehend his cenfeientious obferving the whole Sabbath day : We
are then to fuppofe as well, that the whole Lords day was fpent in
Religious Exercifef or Sabbatical imployments, (fuch as Graying ,
T re aching, Exhortations, the Lords Supptr, Colle&ions for indigent
Saints, and other Sabbatical Employments) fince no other appear.
But I do allow that, becaufe of the Ambiguity which would a-
rife if the Jewifh Sabbath and the Chriftian Sabbath were indiffe-
rently called by the fame name, without diftin&ion; therefore, by
way of diftin&ion from the Jewifh Sabbath (which was common-
ly underftood by that name) the Chriftian Sabbath was commonly
called (by a diftinguifhing title) thefirft day of the weeP, or the
Lords- day. And if you do not think fit to allow it the name of
Sabbath, I (hall be as well contented that you call it (as the Scrip-
ture doth, and the Chriftian Church ever lince) the Lords day.
Yet I fhall not prefently grant you, (as Enq. p 28.) that, in the Old
and New Tcftament the Fir ft day is never called the Sabbath. For
there be at leaft two places in the New Teftament that bid fair for
it, if they do not certainly fo fignify.
One is that in ifflat. 24. 20. Tray that your flight be not in tie
Winter, nor on the Sabbath-day. I know you would reftrain this to
the Jewifh Sabbath onely, not extend it to that of the Chriftians
alfo: But it {lands as fair for the Chriftian Sabbath. For it would v
be as well a grief, to the Chriftians'to fly on their Sabbath, as for
the Jews on theirs ; ( though not a Sin in either, in a cafe of tie-
cef/ity.) And though the Chriftian Sabbath were not yet in ufe when
Chrift fpakg the words, yet it would be fo before the cafe happened;
and though the Difciples at prefent might not then be aware of
that fenfe, it would be time enough then to underfland it, when
there fhould be occafiofl for it. For fo it was in many other cafes.
As Job. 2. 19, 21,22. 'Dcftroythis Temple (faith Chrift) and in three
days I will raije it up ; meaning it of the temple o f his body ; which
though the difciples did not preftntly undcruana,' yet when he was
rifen from the dead, his difciples remembred that he had faid this unto
them; and then they underftood his meaning. And Job. 13.7. (Jcfus
to Peter, about wafhing his feet, ) fVhat I do, thou inoweft not now,
but
fventist Research
So The Ckijlim Sdktk Part II.
but thou /halt k^ow hereafter. And ver. 10,11, Te are clean (faith
Chrift) but not all; For he {newwh Jhould betray him, and there-
fore fatd Te are not all clean. So Job. 19. 24. They parted my rament
among tbem } and for my vellure the/ did cafthis, and ver. 28, 19* of
giving him gall and vinegar to drin^ and ver. 36. a bone of him Jball
not be hoken, and 37. they /hall look on him whom they pierced;
were not things lb imderftood till long after they were fpoken*
And Job* 14- x6. Chrifl tells his difcipks, The Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghojl^foall Teachyou all things and bring toyour Remem-
brance what jhevcr I have faid unto you; and y& bring to their Re-
membrance, as that they fliould then better under/land them, than
when they were firft fpoken. Accordingly when he bids them Pray
that zhtir flight be not on the Sabbath ; that is, on fuch a day as
/hall then be Sabbath, And in the Greek it is iy oh^Sat^ on * Sab-
bath i, not \v t$ m$$i?# on The Sabbath, You make fotnetimes a
great matter of thedifference between a and the 7f when you think
it for your advantage ; and you may as well take notice that the
article The is here (in the Original) omitted ; and a Sabbath may
as well relate to any Sabbath or day of Holy Reft, as to' the Jews
Seventh day Sabbath. And I could cite to you the authorities (if
that were the way of argument between von and me) of eminently
Holy and Learned men^ who think the Chriftian Sabbath to be here
meant, though the difeiples were not then aware of it, but fliould
be before the time came. And I do the rather take it fo to be 7 be-
caufe Chrifl: bids them Pray that it fliould not be on what 'fliould
then be their Sabbath. But it is notorioufly known that it <&/hap- x
pen on the Jews Sabbath (though not on the Lords day, or Chriftian^
Sabbath,) and it doth not feem likely, that Chrift would bid them
v Pray, agairift what he knew was to com to paji, but rather againft
what (upon fuch prayer) they might efcape ; as accordingly they
did, their flight not happening on the Chriftian Sabbath. And it is
noted by <Dio Cajfius who relates the Story, that their Shpcrftitious
obferving that day (fo as not to labour on it, though in their own
defenfe) was the occafion of its being on that day; the Romans ( be-
ing aware of it) making their AJfault on that day.
The other place is Afit. 13.42. When the Jews were gone out of
the Synagogue, the Gentiles be/ought that theft words might be preach
edto them the next Sabbath; (fo we tranflate it;) It is in the Greek
*?f 7^ vatz^v vdCCantf. I remember you ob\$£lRep, p. 79, that if the
Chriitians didobferve the firji day of the week, why did not the
Gentiles delire thefe words to be preached to them the next day,.
rather than the next Sabbath f meaning, the next Jewijh Sabbath,
The
DisitizecUbv the Center.
ift II. The Chriftian Sdbtth. 8 1
w> Gentiles (you fay) be fought that thefe words might b: preached
, them the next Sabbath) not the next morning upon the Ftrjl day
J-the week; but, the next Sabbath. Now, it (terns to nic much one,
\c next Sabbath (meaning the Chriftian Sabbath,) was ihentxtaay,
nd that on ths day they did defire to hear further dikomic on the
dtoe fubje& "fis true that our Translators render lt'barety, tor
%ext Sabbath; but they tell us in the Margin, that it is in the Greek,
'lr the Sabbath bctvseen ; and To it ts, «'< t >>s w £u =^ ■ arc
old ver. 14. t\m they (Taul and Bamtbas) at Mtwcb- in W
Went into the Synagogue # «W«t», ou the \ Sabbat t )<■■
('•where obferve, that rtfcf*™ though in tht plural number, dnth ]■•-
nify not many but oneSi&inh-day ; font is not *» a hli^'h but
7!«>i F *, * ez£C*T*y, contrary to your obtervatibn E>tj. p.-..
where you fay it is no when fo u(ed ; which though you do re-
trait Rep. p. 46. yet even here you be hankering upon it, tail the
plural number doth -ordinarily ftgnify More than one. ) And, though
'hit One rfav, it may well "be called rf/ {ibe^ayji,
■Rejis) becaufe in that one day there were -to be >mre R.ji-s ih»:
•One; a Kelt from Sin, a Rclt from Labours of divers fo«V' ro
f osr f, and fl*r own words, and a ^ JSWi
in Religious Exercifes, delighting our (ekes m tlx Lord, and the like.
'Of their Sermon there (or as it is there called a Word 0/ Lxhcr-
iahon to the people we have a large account ending at ver. +r.
And at ver. 44. we have an account ot what palled on the next
Sabbath, or the -en fuhig Sabbai % W i fJf «ir» <K^i?i or ttS i^Aru
mcedi v (for 'tis read both ways w the fame fetife,] meaning! the
next Jeviijb Sabbath ( as appears by the Company there prcfeiH
ver. 4? . &c. ) But in the former ot thole two Sabbaths v>lxn the
'hews were gone eut of the Synagogue, ot-Mm t/jey tvere gone out
s/ the Synagogue of the Jews { tor the Greek will mdith rentiy bear
■either t ran II at ion) the' Gent ties befirtghl that thofe m-Js might -be
mvached to Them ( feparately from the Jews ) h, ri ut m^i <*>:.
*4h the Sabbath between, or on tie intermediate Sabbiith. For as i
Vib® doth 111 the Greek figflify the intermediate time, or the time
befween, fo t> >£ce*nv Is the Sabbath &rtMr*-or the inter-
mediate SMath. Now what can be that niter mediate Sabbath ( bfiv
tween two next Sabbaths of the ]ews) on which they (hould preath
%6 the Gentiles (in contradiftindtion to the Jews), but the Chriftian
Sabbath on the>// «V of the week. Which by .our TranOawrs is
m&\ enough -rfcndcTcd ftif-»W/ Sabbath fas being indeed the next
■davVwith thisnote upon it; that I in th^ Anginal) it!»-»f
»«rA*ef«r«. 'And even upon ihediflblutiotrof thatfirft aUcmbly
"\ imlffh-the cofi°?t£at 'ion ms broken uf - many tf. th -Jews and. religious
T Tra-
'ventist I
IT I
82 TTfe Chrifun Sabbat k Part II,
*Profe!ytes (not waiting till the ne xt J ewifh Sabbath) followed TvA
ana &arnabas[iox further inflru&ion therein) who fpeaiing(ot prach
ing ) to them } perf waded them to continue in the grace of God, ver. ^3,
So that here,! t\\ink } the firft day is again called the Sabbath; not the
Jewilh Sabbath, but the Sabbath between two JewifiiSabbaths.
And I tal^e it; alio to be fo called in the Fourth Commandment^
Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day , or the day of Reft, that a
iiich day as from time to time (hall be the Sabbath day. Six day:
Jbxti thou labour and 'do all thy work; but the feventh day (after thofe
fix days of labour) the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. This fe venth
day was (Ifuppofe) at tkat time, the feveqth fay {som the fitfi ram*
ingof M*twa y Exod i6. 21, 22, 15-, 26. Bfif: that it was always 1$
continue in courle from thtfirjl raining of Mama, I do not find j nor
ami fure that it did fo continue even to our Saviours time, but
might be intermitted, and forgotten during the Babylonifti Cap.
tivity* till it was a^ain renewed by Nehemiah: And if x upon our
Saviours Refurre&ion, another day did thenceforth become the
Sabbath (as I think it did ;) whatever day fhould from time to time
become the Sabhath ? that day they were to keep holy. And this
without any change in the Command men t at all I fuppofe you do
allow that the Affhmative part of the Second Commandment doth
require us to obierye Gods tnfiitutedVfQTfhip, (or, that he fhould
be worfhiped in fiich manner as himfclf appoints,) and confequent-
jy , the Levitical Trieftbood and Sacrifices fo long as they fhould con-
tinue; as being Gods then-inftituted fForjhip^ as £nf. p. 68, But
when God, iniiead thereof, gave us a more fpiritmi Miniftry (as
you own it to be,) That then ceafed, and This began, to be Gods in.
ftituted Worfhip, and did {without any alteration of that Law at
all) fall under the Second Commandment, as, before, the; other did*
Xn like manner, the feventh Commandment, Thou Jb*lt not commit
adultery \ binds the IFomanto this Husband \ but if this husband be
dead and fhe marry to another, the fame law (not one j*t or tittU
altered.) binds her to this other husband; as the Apoftle argue*
Mom. y 2, 3 . For, though the Caje be altered, the Law is ftilJ the
fame. And in like manner > if the Lords day become now the 0ri~
ftians iiy of holy Reft^ (as we think it doth) this now is the Sabbath
of the Fourth Commandment, as much as the Seventh day from the
firft raining of Manna was before. Like as the fecond husband (after
the death of the firft) becomes the Husband in the Seventh Com-
mandment, as much as the Firft was while he was living. And the
Lords day is now as much the feventh day after the fix days of Labour }
as wasthit other from the firft raining of Manna. But whether
this or that or neither, b$ the feventh day in cmrfe from the firj
Crc-
&rt IL The Chiftian Sabbtik 83
ja/i^ncither you nor I know \ nor is it neccflary that we fhoulck
As to whzt you object hereupon {Sep. p. 1, 3. and very often
' srward to the like purpofe ) / do not know nor can know what
of the wee {Sunday is > why fhould I write a hook for the obferva*
ji of a day which it is mpojfible to know ? My Anfwer is, I know
m well which day of ourlVeek_n is; and write for the obftrva-
" 1 of this day : But what day of the week it is in a continual cir*
^tim of weeks from the Creation, I do not know (nor do you) and
iercfore for fuch firft or feventh day, I do not write : and ii you
Kite for fuck feventh day, you write for you know not what. And
*r rite for that Lords-day, which I take to be fo in a continual fjc^
ffion from Chrifts time ; fo far as that can be known : that is (as
E fpeak Rep. p. 3.} fVhat allChriftian af?d Hebrew Churches in the
'orld agree to be it : Or ( E*f. p. -78.) if all Jews and Chrijiians in
world be not out in their reckoning ■: Or if that be it, which you
(Ertf. p. 9j,) all the Chrijiians tn tbtWorld agree to be it. That
fofar as we may truft to an Univerfal , Tradition in a matter ot
, For this Unfacrfal agreement^ is but Untverfdl Tradition and
So more: And more than this you cannot have, nor do pretend to
iave, for determining, which is^our Seventh day. And therefore
Mid you no wrong in faying {Difc. p. 1.) that ywbave no other waf
than Common Tradition ) whereby to guefi which is the firft or
ienth day in fuck circulation even from Chrifts time, (though when
„ucite my words, you think fit to leave out other than common
'adition. ) So far as this can aflure us we arc affured; but beyond
•is, neither yotfnor I can be fure which is the day. Nor do I
i»k it much material, whether we be or be not raiftaken therein,
weobferve the day which is fo reputed According as before I
ive ihewed, of the Jews Taftover and New*meons. For (accord-
ing to the method they are faid to havo oMerved for determining^
fee day of the New- Moon, and confequeatly the Day and Month of
ic Taft over thereupon depending, viz. by the firft fight of the
Koon after the Change,) it was a rare cafe not to mifs of the true
iy, ( for 'tis very rare to fee the Moon on the true day of the-
Itw-Moon ;) and, in cafe the Full-moon was near the Equinox,
Hmght be equally uncertain, which was the Firft Month: Yet the
hfi-over y and the New Moons; were Religioufly OMerved, on the
deputed Day, of the reputed Month; and it was, I doubt not, as well
Kcepted as if on the juft day : and fo would be our Lards day, if
teffibly we [hould miftakt, in the common Tradition. And the cafe
J- juft the fame with you as witfc us, as to this point; for you a&
foidfldixi guejfwg which day is a feventh in courfc from the Crc-
L % at ion i
Dieitized/by the Center fi
jyentisj: Research.
8 4
The CkriftiM Sabbath.
Part I?., jftrt II
Tk Chrijluti Sabbtth:
1
ation; and with more (Jncertaint^rhzn we do in judging which is the fl<befide Bnptifm) to ufe Circumcifion ; or ( beiide the Supper )
Lords day in, a continual fuccellion from Cbrifts time; of which you to ufe the Jewifh Tajimr : Yet I think it then was /au/if/ tor a
tdl us thzx alljews andChrijlians in the JfW</areagreed,which is the [, 7^ to ufe both (if they were fo pcrfwaded) till by time, and lei-
r £fominic&I day. And it is much jnorc likely that our common tjradi,, fure, they [hould come better to underftand their Chrijiian Liberty,
tiort, as to the Lsirds day,{\nct Chiifts time,doth not deceive us, than ► Which your felf 3 I think, will not deny. But 1 do not think
ymrs for ihefeventh day hi courfe from thefirft reation. For,by your
f>v si eonrUlion.no nation but the Jews (if they) obferved this jhenth
fiom the C reation j nor yet ( f or ought appears ) did even the Jews
reckon their :time by weeks till after *their coming out of Egypt:
Whereas,. fince.Ch rifts time, and the planting of Cnnlhanity, 'ti$
the general way ot reckoning every where;, and if one nation
fh-niid chance to mistake ox forget it, others would r^uty it..
Ike Jews (and much lefs the Gentiles ) to be under an Obliga-
tion \o to do. And I fuppofe you do allow this alfo ; For you think
[Enq. p, in. ) that Taul did keep the Jewifh Fafs-ovcr, but :p. njj
that he was under no Obligation Jo to do
ji And I take the cafe of the Jewift Sabbnth to be jtift the fame.
^Thofe of the Jews who were zealous of the Law, thinking tbc Mtv
Xaick Law was yet in force as to tncumufuu and other Rites
as
well as to their Sabbath, did think tbemklves obliged (though in-
This point being thus difpatched; It remains to enquire, Whc- j deed they were not, otherwife than by the miflake of an Erroneous
ther { befide the Lords-day) we are to obferve the Jewjh Sabbath Con faience} to obferve Circumcifion and their Sabbat h } together with
alio. 13c not offended (as iometimes you fcem to be Rep. p. $\*$$) and the Lords*day
that I call it the \jfavifb SubbatL For' I find, yon can alio fo call it;
\:>Enq. p. 38, The Jews Seventh day fahbath ; and p. 66. thejewrfi
Sabbath; and p: 74. the Jewifh Seventh-day fahbath: and elfewhere.
Nor do I mean any hurt in focalling it.; orthereby to Reproach
the day. For I would not Reproach, either Circumcifion, or the
Tafl over,, or the Levitical Vriefthood; or any of the Sacrifices, or
Cemnontes of the Ceremonial Law, which was then the appointed
Service of God, though now it be not, I ufe itoncly as a dijlin*
Sine mme from dritot iht Lords- day. For I take this mw to be 1
Safybath day, and the Seventh day fabbat^ (intended in the Fourth
Commandment,) as much as the Jews Seventh-day-Sabbath, tlm
was : that is ( not onely A Seventh-day, as you ufe to diftmguift,
but) The fevenththp after ftp day^#f^bmr;<T\\vu§h poflibly not
the fextnth in courfe from thzfift Creation, nor perhaps the feventb
m courfe from the ft ft rawing of Manna. . ' . ' '
Hut the Lords -day, uvj^and is to be Obferved ; I think 1 have fuf-
fiViently*fl]ewecl already. As to that other quefiion,whether the Jem.
ifh Sabbath ought to be obferved alfo : You feem to anfwer for me*
Enq |\ 4 6 . Air are there two Weekly days Jet apart by God for holy Wofr
/hip, and fo Ithinhjhis quefi 'ionneeds no furt her Labour. And Ay>.p.j}>
1 htownonehasyet imagined that Ptuthndthe Chrijiians kept mo Sab-
bath days in one Week, And yet again Re/i.p.66. 1 tafc as agreed, we are
not to keep two days in a Week. All which are your own words.
But t think fit to anfwer it a little more dfftin&iy. I would di<
ftinguifh, between what is wwovj 7)uty, and what might then by
xhe % Jafrfiilly be done, I do not think it is mvc our 'Duty
: (be
And thofe who did not think them,
ifclves fo Ob/fged } did yet thu k it Lawful fo todo T ( as is undeniable
the Cafe ot 'Baul. ) And it was not only Lawful but Commtndar
Ji/tf, to take the opportunity of a ptvblick Coucourfe whether of jews
or Gentiles, as well on that as on any other day,to preach to them the
Cofpel of Chrirt. For»fo we find they did, not onely on the Sabbath,
but daily in the Templc x d&. 146. Jc7. 5*41. and in the Market daily
yicl* 17. 17. and in Areopagus, m*3iar.s-h}Uy ver* n. And no man
iioubts, I think, for need doubt ) but that we niay-lawfully meet on
Mother days than the Lord f day for the ff^orfhip of God.
T~ You tell us indeed Enq. p. ixi*] that on the other fix days we
jjtre Commanded to Labour ; and complain p. j 3 ju ( as an incioach-
menton our working time) that' this part of the Fomih Command
\/Jix days fhalt thou labour and do all that thou baft to do} is in effect
much laid afide (by appointing the Service of God on fome of thofe
K days;) and Rep. p, 6. the other fix Allowed for Work^ or rather
.wherein we are Commanded to n-ori. But, I hope you do not think,
•Ve arc fo Commanded thep to work, as that we are Fotbid to Vray^
(ox to hear a Sermon y on one of thofe days. If God do not ( in the
: foimh Commandment) command any other day (to al! in general;)
lA.yet neither doth he there forbid it. You may remember that, in
I the Mofaick Law, befides the commanded fervices, there were
Fue-wiB Offerings that might be offered. And (whatever your
opinion beagainn meeting twice in public^ for Satbath \fervices on
the Sabbath-day,) I fhould hope you would .think it allowable ( for
; thofe whofc other occafions ma-y Well permit it) to attend a Week-
day Leflwe 7 wheieit may conveniently be had. And the Apottles,
no
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U - Tk CbrifiinSMtib. Part IX
no doubt, wh'ofc daily bufincfs it was to preach the Gofpel, might
(on this day as well as any other ) take the opportunity, ot the
Jews meeting in the Synagogue (as well as of the Athenians meet-
ing in the Market A& 1 7. 1 7.) to preach the Word to thcra And
I think it might be as then (though not a Duty) for the
Believing Jews, 10 meet on their Sabbath^ as it was to pradiceCrr-
cumoifim, if they were fo perfwaded. But to impofe it on the Gen-
tiles as a Zto#swa$ (I think) not then to be done,and much lefs w.
By Gentiles I do not hear mean Circumcifed frofelytes; for thefe
(though naturally Gentiks and not of the feed of Abraham) did (by
being circumcifed) become naturalized Jews, and thereby members
of the Jewifh Church (and might eat the 9afiover) as well as if
they had been Native Jews y Exod. ia. 48. But I mean thofe Chru
(Hon Gentiles (yet nnrirenmcifed) concerning whom the fuejlion
now was whether they ought to be circumcifed and obferve the Law
of Mofes, Aft i,|,if Gal.f. 1,2,3. Fottomtjews (or?*-
daizing Chrijfians) taught the Brethren, that Except they were
cumcifed, after the manner of Mojes, they could not hejaved: As if
Salvation were fo 0} * the Jews, as that, without being brought with-
in the rale of the JewifhChurch, they could* not be faved by their
dMeffas.
Somewhat confonant to your doftrine, Enq. p. 79. that the Jews
in Egypt, was the whole vifible Church of Chrrji in The World {I
fhouM have faid the Church of God, in con trad iflinihon to the
Chrifiicn Church: Nor wduld I have faid the whole Church.) That
they were a considerable fart, and that they were more peculiarly
fo, becnufe of the promife made to Abraham and his feed, of which
Circumcifion was *S/gn; thus much I had granted, Wife, p. 60.
with which you are not fatisfied, Jiep, p. . But that they (as the
feed of Abraham) were the whole vifible Church of God, I cannot
allow. I think that dMetchizedeJt (a Trieft of tfje mojl High God)
whoever he was, 2nd his people, were jter/ ol Gods Vilible Church;
though not of ihzfeedof Abraham, nor circumcifed (that I know)
or required fo to be. And the like of Lot ( righteous Lot, though
not circumcifed, that I know of, nor required fb to be, nor any
member of the Je with Church,) and his Family, and his pofterity
(fo long as they continued to wor{hip,the true God ;) and Abrahams
kindred at Ur and Haran; who though they were not of the f eed of
Abraham (nor incorporated into his family,) yet 1 do not know that
they had caft off the Worfhip of the true God ( though perhaps
oihcrwife faulty ;) and all the Potterity of Abraham by keturah;
man?
irt II. Tk ChrtjHan Sdhath. Sy
Miy of whom, no doubt, did for a long time continue to worftiip
t true God : who though of Abrahams pojierity yet were no part
f the Jewifh Church in Egypt y whom yet ( £n$. p. 75). £ep. p. ^2.)
u wouldhave to be the w/Wf Church. The like ot Jethro (IVitffc,
Prince of Midian) ot whom we have a huge account JEW. 1.
d Exod. r8. wasdoubdefs (as thence appears ) zgoodman, and a
horjhipe r of the true God; but the Midianites, ( as well as the Edo~
itts, the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Amakhites, and others,)
e ftill contradiftinguiftied to the ffraeiites brought out of Egypt.
d no doubt but many of Jethro $ people, as well as him/elf, were
iTorlhipers of the true God, and part of Gods Vifible Church. And
I judge the like of Aner, and EJbcol, and Mamre, { Ahams Cm-
federates Gen. 14. 1 3, 14, ) though they lived in Canaan, as he did.
And there is no doubt of Job, and his three friends, (who feem all
be Princes, or Great men, and to have great Dependences) and
} ihu (who was a fourth,) were part of Gods vifible Church; and
my of their people or dependents; but no part of the Ifraelites
jf Egypt * though contemporary with them. Nor can it be faid of
Ipy of them, that God brought them out of th$ land of Egypt, out
if the houfeof bondage. And 1 do not know but that Balaam (though
otherwilca badman^ as Cain alfo was,) rnieht be a Worfhiper of
the true God. And the Kenites alfo* (of whoft kindnefs to the If-
raelites we find mention, Judg. 4. 11, 1 7. ) And the Widow cf Sa-
vtpta (a Zidonian ) 1 King. 17. And Naamatt the Syrian, 2, King.
15-^17. who owns that there is no other' God in all the earth but the
6W of Ifrael, and would thenceforth, offer neither burnt -offerings
[nor Sacrifice to any otfcr God, but unto the LO R*D ( Jehovah-) And
Ifee no caufe to queftion it, but that many others of thofe who
re Profe/yti Tort*, though not Frofelyit Faderis ( as they ufe to
fediffinguifhed) weregtW men, zndworfhipers of the true God, and
•ambers of Gods vifible Church, though not of the Jewifh Church.
Such I fuppofe was the Centurion Luk, 7. who though he loved their
Wim and built them a Synagogue, ver. y. yet was not ot the Jewifh
Church, as appears vet. p. / have not found f$ great faith, no not in
%r*el And the fame is manifeft-in Cornelius: A^jho was a devout
Itof, and one that feared God, and all his houfe, Act. 10. 2. ( and, a~
Hongfi the reft, his two hou/hold fervants, and the devout jouldierwho
ffdted on him, that were lent for Teier, ver* 7.) with many of hh
mdred and new friends ^ vcr. 24, 33, 44, 46; and was one whole
**ytrs werje heard and his alms were had m memorial before God,vtx*
L31. ajuftman, and one that feared God, and (though not a Jews)
if good refort among all the nation of the Jews, ver. ix and who was
ther«*
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88 The ChriJiUn SMtth. Part II.
therefore (even before his becoming Chriftian upon Peter's preach-
ing) one of Gods vifible Church {as wercthofc others alio with
h& -\ Hot a few. nor in communion with the Jcwifb Church;
lawful for a man
to have
not the
'art H Tkc Chrijtkn Sdfah. % 9
W^l °J.} he / ee ^ D f Graham, but common to aJJ that believed, to
iTLf {^A A r Mdw ° yi of Nation.
.nd thofc who did f 0 , were part of Gods vifible Church, though
lot Jews, unincorporated into their Church. So that thofc r£*
r ftp were not the wyfe/e Church of God, as you would
7T » Vni', J 00 ™ 3 " onel y ^okwhojoynedthemfehes
t'JW f 35 lf none but fuch might be favedby their
Mejjuh , though otherwife /br-Mg c«/ andferving him,) You per.
21y fall m with thofe Judamng Chrijlians (Adl ic, i Gal. y i V
fto rtf Sr^rw, £*c#/ /f fe circumci fed after the manna of
yes, ye cannot be faved. v
And therefore I am ftill of opinion ( notwithftanding your
jinking otherwife) that what God fays to the yews, as wejj of
fcumtfa, « the Jewijh Sabbath ( on the fcventh dav from the
£tt raining of Manna) as a Sign, or Ovr«w/ between htm and
p*, is intended as a dtftinffive mark given to the Jews, as Gods
it was the *>?re peculiar People (not as the whole vifible Church) r*
/ 0 other Nations. Of Circumcifion he fays to Abraham
?V y I" 7 , «r Covenant between me and thee, and
■ n tilt l**ft >ffy*»- them - / 1 ^ - '
. And Rom. 4. 9, 10, it,
,„ that this blefjednefs cometh not upon the
Ctrcumcificn onely (on the Jew.m Church onely) but upon .the Un- « Mievers of aU nmens,in all ages, from the beginning of the
circumcifiohalfo^ for that faith Has reckoned to Graham for rightt- t0 ™? ™do} it, to diftingutfk them from the difobedient to Gods
him ;) yet not a Jew, nor in communion j-^'j**
bn t of another natron, with whom it was thought unlawful ft
that ts a Jew to keep company } or (Tome unto him, ver. z8. that is,
familiar convert with him. So that the Jewijb Church was
IVholc vifible Church of Cod. And this Peter acknowledge th ver. 34,
IS. of a truth /perceive that God is no refpeHer^of perfons ; but in
tverynation, he that fearcth hitnandwrkethrightcoufnefs is accepted
of him. Nor was this then a New truth (how contemptibly foever
the Jews thought of other nations ) but is cited from &ffl\ 1017/
1 3, 19, Arid accordingly fitter (at ver. 4-, 48.) admits them all to
bhrijlian Bapiifm, without requiring them firft to be circumcifed
or become Jevcs
I
Gentiles ,
cmmirtMe oracks of God, whereby they had better opportunity
of knowing his will ; But as to the Rule of Safottw, it was the
time to bot'h ; as he there argues ver. &c. 7ft rtghtemf'nefl of
God.hy faith mJefuS Chrifi isnnto all and upon all that k//o*(whether
Jew or Gehnlc) for there is no difference. And Rom. 9, 10 s
\z, j 1 he argues at I nge
become
do not deny but that the Jc^s had many advantages above the
ttiks fh. Taul argues Rom, ? . t x \i> chiefly, becanfe to them were
. :... .l*L„ .~..~L, *f r:*J i.-k,>r/>li« fhf v hnrl hotter onnoftunitv
'not when he was-in Circumcifion; but in Uncncamcifim ; W J*-,' And wr. io,n 7*m is my covenant which* ye Jk*U keep > be-
herecckedthf fign ofCircnmcifm, a feahf the righfeoufnefs of faith me and you and thy jeed after thee (is this meant of M Na-
which he had being yet Uncircumcifed ; th*t he might be the Father «««' to the fTortds end ? to wit) every male child among/I you /had
^that believe, though they be not circumcifed, that rigbte- '
,~ . n I ' " vv v \,utn+ wrwriVii. VQU Wail
of all them that believe, though they be not ctrcurftcifed, that ngbtt- fcircumcijed and it fhaUbe a token of the Covenant betwen me and
mthefs'mkbt be imputedto tlfem alfo. W\ tnat } s j iou the feed of Abraham ; for ao other were to be
J And I Oiould have thought vofa might have been of the fame MrcurociJed, unlefs incorporated with them.) And ver. ia. mv
■ Covenanted he myourfiefh an everlafiing Covenant, (not as if Or*
*maM r were to be for ever obligatory; but,whilc things continued
in that State of diftinSion between Jews and Gentiles.) And
jews or GentHes then, living and dying impenitentfy, had not Satvatu IMe manner concerning the Jevoijb Sabbath, Exod. ?r. 13. My
on by tbe MeJJJaW- Thofe of Tin'* or the Genriks then, who y/md Maths ye Jhatt keep, for tt is a Sign between me and Tou ( that i£
themfehes to lhHord. to ferve himjmd aemai^l And it ia I ^ the Children of Ifrael to whom it was'fpoken) throughout your
fee not why they flib\rfd riot be thought p-art of God's vjhble wr^w. And ver. 16 the Children of Ifrael fliaU keep the Sab-
«/ Covenant and ver. in.. It is a Sign between me and the ChU-
en of Ifrael fw even (which plainly fliews, who were meant by
ft «/^f^ 20, ^'^ IO ';V 3 ' 16 ' 18 '^ 20 - Sonofmal,
*ak to the Elders of Ifracl- In the day when / chafe IfrteL and
Clmca , M ; i,f te j
lee not wny tney wuinu-irov m-w^n.-j"..;-
•Church. 'Tis true thtr, without being ■Ciramcijed thcy
iiot tat the T*ft-wer Exod. iz. 18. becanfe not of the w
Church 1itu it doth ndt therefore follow that they were not <
So that SaK-atrori, even ! then, was not confined X#yet «7<»'{
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The Ckriftkn Sabhatk
Part II.
hought them into the IVildernefs. / gave them (in the Wilder
nefsl my Sabbaths to be a Sign between me and them (who are thele
but thole that xvere brought ought of Egypt,) but the bmje of If-
tad rebelled agawftmein the midernefs y (are thefe all true be-
lievers from the beginning of the wor!d,to the worlds end ?) ~~ and
my Sabbaths iky polluted; _ But I '/aid unto their Coildren in tk
mldernefs, - walk in my Statutes - and hallow my Sabbaths, and
they (hall be a fign between me and you, &c. Who can thefe be, but,
the people of Ifrael as contradiftinguilhed from other people ? the
as contradinguilhed from the Gentiles ! Yet when you tell
us from hence {En ? . p. 26.) and particularly from Exod 31. 13,
people, to dtflmguitt) his people from others ; you think much {Rep.
a U that I ihould underfiand it p. tfo.) of the people of If
rati: thouqh, in the place by you cited (£W. 3«- H-) It J bc ":
prcfly faid, // is a fign between me and the Children of Ifrael. And
therefore (whatever You mean by it) the meaning of the : Text 4
W i tfw/. Like to that of Exod f |. 7. ?3* <*»
* difference between the xjEgytians and Ifrael
And here I think it is not improper to take notice of that 10
lemn CUufe (which we often meet with, both as to Circuvtcifion,
and the lewifh Sahbath, as well as other Rues) namely inyourgene*
rations, Gen, 17. 7 / will efabhjb my Covenant, between me and
thy feed after thee [in their generations] for an everhfling Covenant^
iibe a God to thee and thy feed after thee. And ver. p. Thou Jbatt
keep my Covenant therefore, thou and thy feed after thee [m thetr ge-
nerations.] And vir.i 12. He that ts eight days old fiall be cirennt-
cif'edamomSjoUyfvery male child [in your generates,} Where I take
the words Inyw generations, to be (verba mmuentia) Words of A-
batemtnt. An Everta&ing Covenant, bat, to whom? To the Seed
cf Jbrahm (not to all the world.) And how length your Gene-
rations ; fo Jong as you and they continue to be zfeparate generate*
diftinguifiud from the reft ol the World ; not when that watt J
Separation fhail be taken away. So concerning the Manna, bxod.
1 1 2 2. Fill an Omer of it to be kept [for your Generations ,] and m
2 X Lay it up before the Lord, to be kept [ for your Generations.) And
J their Sabbaths, Exod. 31. 13. My Sabbath ye {hall keep, for it ts *
fan between me andyou{throughout your Generations.) Audv iWT
I he Children of Ifrael /hall &p tk Sabbath, to obferve the Sabbat*
[through
Part It, The Chriftim Sdhth. 91
[throughout their Generations,) for a perpetual Covenant ; it is a fign
between me and the Children of Ifrael for ever, 'Tis fo, a perpetual
-Covenant, as yet to be confined to the Children of Ifratl ( as Cir-
Jtutncifion was to the Seed of Abraham,) and while they continu-
ed a feparate Generation from the rell of Mankind. I fpeak ftill of
Tthe Jewfh Sabbath ( from the firft raining ot Manna,) not of what
might be afterward appointed in the room of that, when that
:;ffiould ceafe.
But when you tell us ( Hep. p. ri- } that when you fay To di/lm-
guifh Gods people from others, 2 our meaning was and is throughout,
that the Sabbath ( this Saturday Sabbath jwas and is a perpetual fign
and Covenant with all True Ifraelites y that is, all the Believers of
all Nations, in all Ages, from the beginning of the Word to the End
tftt, to dijimgwfnjuch from the T>ifobedient to Gods Law : Pray
rconfider, how unkind you are to ail the Chriftian World except
I yourielf (and fome few more ) whom, becaufe they do not ob-
TTcrve your Saturday Sabbath, you exclude from the number ot
Gods 'People, of true Ifraeliles, of true Believers ; and rank them
with the df obedient to Gods laws, whom you elfcwhere call ( with
great difpleafurc) the Jnomisls y the Ungodly, with other the like
hard terms. Is this agreeable to that Candour you promifed ( Enq.
i 3, 4, ) to the Advocates for the Firflday ? Muft wc All be exclu-
Jed from* the the number of Gods people ? I fliould have thought,
'that, when you complain of Heats > and carrying it High) which
{ you fay ) you much difiike, beeaufe/0« ore pzrf&aded that many of .
ifoth fides (whoever do miBake ) do confeientioufly mislake : you would
;iiave had fo much charity for us, as to think fome of lis may yet be
"{pods People ; and forimch modefly as to think the mislake may
poflibly be on/<wr fide, rather than on the whole body of Chrifh-
ains ( fome very few excepted ) who Religioufly obferve the
Lords-day.
But whatever thofe Jews or Judamng Chri/lians did pretend ; as if
Salvation were not to be had out of the Jewifh Church, (as being
the wfole Church of God) and therefore, the Gentiles, if they ^
pe£ed Salvation muftfirflby circumcifionbt b rough within the pale
of that Church, (and c6nfequently obnoxious to the whole Mofaid
Lawy Gal. j\ 3.) The Apoftles doftrinewas otherwife, that the
pale was now taken nway T the inclofure laid open and difparked, the
wall of partition broken down } and what advantages had before been
peculiar to the Jews, were now/« common to Gentiles alfo, without
becoming members of the Jewifh Church. And therefore he doth
R*h, 0 M 2
92 The Chrifi'un Sabbath. Part II.
exhort them to ftand faft in the liberty wherewith Chrijl had made
them free, and not to be int angled with the yoke of bondage to the
Jewifli Church, Gal. $. i. What was before zfign or mari^ofdi.
Jlinffion between Jew and Gentile, being now at an end at lead as
to the Gentiles, however the Jews might yet be permitted, if yet
unfatisfied, to continue their former practife; without impofing
it on the Gentiles, (to whom before it had not been a law : ) And
the fame was the fenfe of the Synod ofjerufalem, k&.i$. and of
James with the brethren A& 21. 17.
Now I fuppofe you will not fay,, that the Gentiles, before this
time, did obferve the Jewijb Sabbath, (fo that, to them, it was a
new thing, ) For you tell us again and again that they {all nations,
Sep. p. 74.) worjhipedthe Sun upon Sunday; their day of Worfliip
(fuch as it was) was on another day.
And^ though I am not of your opinion , that they did (any of
them) worfhip the Sun upon Sunday any more than on another day,
or that the of Sunday (or of the other week-days) was then
known ; Yet I do believe they did notobfe/ve the Jewijb Sabbath;
becaufe this wasaj%»of z perpetual Covenant, between God and the
Children of Ifrael, Exod. ji. 16, 17. (as, in a peculiar manner,
their God, m contradifhndlion to other Nations, ) as was Cirtum-
01 token of " fuch Covenattt between God and the feed of
graham, Gen. 17. p, u. /nd though you are not willing to un-
der/land it of God and the Children of Ifrael ( though it be exprefly
laid io, m thofe very words, between me and the Children of Ifrael)
but between God and hisTeople (from the beginning of the world to
toe end thereof, ) Yet when you do contend alio that this people were
then the whole, vifible Church; if but a diftinaion between God and
01s people, youjnuft admit that the Gentiles ( who were then not a
people, 1 Pa. 2. ic. or not his people, Rom. o. i T , 16.) did not ob-
lerve it, (clfc how could this be a. ftgn, or token of dtHinciion, even
between God and his people f) So that the Jewijb Sabbath was "to
them, a new. thmg. And your felf own it fo to be Rep. p. s 1 . That
U was then New to. the Heathens I agree, be your own words.
Now, as to fuch new things to be introduced on the Gentiles,
from the Jewifh Church, we find it refblyed on a folemn Argu-
ment by the Synod at Jerufalem, Act is. not to put a yoke upon the
neck of the dijciples, which from the Gentiles are turned unto God,
yer. 10, ip. Itfeemedgood (fay they) unto the Holy Gboil and tons,
to lay upon you no greater burdens than thofe necejfary things, That ye
abflain from meat offered to Idols, and from blood/ and from things
Jtrangied, and from fornication / frw which if ye keep your fehesye.
Jhai
(Part II. The ChrijlUn Sabbath. gJ
tall do well ver. 18, ap. But there is nothing of the Jewilh Sab-
fatb an* ngf thefe necejfary things. And to the fame purpofe
Karnes and all the Elders, aflembled zijeiufalem, A& 21.18 wnere'
hey tell Paul, that many thoufands of the believing Jews, who were
tl zealous of the Law, had been informed, that he taught all the
Jews which are amongft the Gentiles to forfake Mofes, fain* That
[they ought not to circumcife their children, neither to wok after the
Cujiomes, ver. 20, it. ( of which Cujlomes, that of the Jewilh Sab-
huh was certainly one.) And do advife him ( for the removing
pi that prejudice, and acquitting himfelf from that falfc informa-
tion ) to purify himfelf together with /ww men which had a Tow on
Wen, to fhew that himfelf ( being a Je w ) did walk orderly and keep
v>e Law, vet. 2j, 14. But as touching the Gentiles which believe
lay they ) we have written and concluded, that they obferve no fuch
'hngfaveonely that they keep themfelves from things offered to idols,
tdfromblood, and from things jlr angled, and from fornication, ver. is
thy thefe particular things were infified on as necejary at that
:afon, 1 lilt not now to difpute, becaufe I would not fuggefl new
atter of difpute between me and you, (which yet I think is there
timated, at Ail. is. 20, 21. compared with Gen. p. y. which was
[precept ancienter than Circumcijton, and 'the Mofaick Law ) But
Sere is no mention of the Jewifh Sabbath, as necejary to the Gen.
ties, 1a either place : which certainly would have been, if necefla-
' for them to obferve ; it being to them a new thing, out of the
11 of Mojes, and which was before a diftinftive ftgn or token
fculiar to them, and not obferved by any other. And certainly as
(onfiderable ( if not more f than abjlaining from things Jlrangled, and
\om blood; which perhaps You do not think to be now neceflary
■ You'll fay perhaps, that neither is there mention of the Lords
i&y True : nor yet of Baptifm, or the Lords Supper, nor of
trdaining Elders in every Church : Becaufe thefe were Chrijlian
mjittutions ; and no part of what was there in aueflion. For it was
Dot doubted whether the Chrijlian Gentiles fhould obferve the
Chrijlian Injlitutions ; but, whether (with them) they were bound
to obferve alfo the Mofaick^ Law ; lor that was the point then in
ueftion,^?. is- i,s, C, 24. There rofe up certain of the Sett of the
HfriJfU, which believed, faying, That it was needful to circumcife.
\m, and to command them to keep the Law of Mofes. And the
^ftles and Elders came together to confider of This Matter, (not
put the Chriftian Inftmuions ) Where, by the.Law of Mofes, is
it meant onely, what was newly appointed bv Mofes, after their
*ing out of Egypt ; but it looks back as far as Circumijion,
(which
the Center
[ventist Research
L The Chrifiian Sabbath. Part II.
( which ^as^ldcr than Mofes) and to the Law given to Atajcoft.
cern L Blood, and, I fuppofe, the Law of Sacrifice (wb* ™
ode tUeuher: For all thefe (fo far as they _«rc new £
•them ) came to the Gentries as /rw* Mofes, that is from the t Jkw*
Church confiituted by Mofes, and therefore is called the Law J
And, of all that is here enjoyed on the Gcnules out of tb,s
'Law MbM thc 7tvujb Sabbath is no part. 1
Now this, I think, (as lometimes you fpeak) goes* greet**?
in tnecafe. You do not pretend ( for ought I fee) that any other
*atidn'thah 'the Jives ( and their Profelytes ) did then tfl*r**d*
■Jevcifo Sabbath : For you grant it ( £«y. p. i6\ Ap. p. J i. ) to be a
<flf?/W»t* atorf, or/&», it not between God and Jbi Children of If
rael at leaft fcrtttttw God and his People ( which ^fl/Jf, I prefntne
vou'do not take to be thc Unconverted Heathens ; and thertore : not,
ovthem, ob'ferved.) Tis true that the Heathens did knm ol the
fas!® Sabbath, and of their Circumcifion too ; but they did fepX-
Wdefpfe both, [Recutitaque Subbata pallent,) novoi/trve cither.
And therefore, if it were now to be newly impofed upn them,
Wttfucfrthat it Ihould not be recommended as one ot thole ne-
ve [fary things which it. was fit for them to oMerve, . as well las
abftinence h orn Blood, and things ilrangkd. Which when we find it
Vas not, I think we have realon to conclude, that though the Jems
were permitted to continue the pra&ice of That, and of Circucijion,
yet neither on} nor the other to be imt>ofed upon the Gentiles ; who
had Baptifm in Head of one, and the Lords day inftead ol the
other : as they had the Lords Supper inftead of their Pafs-over,xtA
i%oet : excellettt Mimftry inftead of the Levitical Puelthood Mean
whiF'^d*'^^* againft the SMath of tbxJWb Com-
mandment {the fevcoth day after fix days ot labour, as is the Lords
day) but the lewip Sdbbaib ( the feventh day from the firlt rain-
ing' of Manna, or that of the Jewifh week ) being impofed upon the
Grr.riier together with that of the Lords-day.
And therefore when you fay ( Rep. p. j>. ) that / there waif ™
Hill >uv4 ia> v *±*r* r' j r". I ~ \U\JEy VV **IIT»\.f 111
it is Vour miftake. This feventh-day SabbatbX
Vi$%-A& w>ich 'you Meafe
9 the Sabbath\zs though I would have no Sabbath to be
Tvedj IV hie h fev/nth2ty Sabbath (voU 0\vn Enq. p. aft)
to oe c jtgn for ner between him and his people to Difiin^uijh bts\
people from others < which arc yourown words,) that is, (lay I, not
is your words, hot as m .• own, ) the people of Ifrael from other na-\
fiims ; a;id,fo to'be aSignfor Ever, as Circumcifion is an tverkfinrt
Covenant. 'Bccault ( in the place by yctt there cited, Exod.^i- i"'
{i
ah
Part II. The ChriflU* Sabbath. 95
it is exprefly faid, // is a fign between me and the Childr en of Ifrael
^ever. But if by the Children of Ifrael ( as you now tell us ) you
inot underftand the Children of Ifrael, I cannot help it. I hope
■will be no ofFenfe to tell you, that I do ; and between them and
ttbers, to be between Jews and Gentiles , and that, a Sign for ever 1 ,
and a perpetual Covenant, 1 underftand in the fame, fenle as \vfoen
Circumcifion is called an Eve} lofting Covenant Gen n. 13. And
/hat is there faid of Circumcifion (ver. it.) // is a token of the Cove-
fiant between me and you, that is (ver. 9.) thou and thy feed after
Ihee in their generations, is the fame (as to the feed of Abraham)
'Hth what is here faid of this feventh-day Sabbath (as to the Chtl
'rcn of Ifrael) Exod. p. 1 3. // « * Sign between me and you t-brough-
your generations. And the like ot the TafiWr, EM JW%£
Ire 'fnall obfa ve this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy Sons
w ever ; that is, fo long as this Oeconomy or Admitfiftfaxion
■nould continue. Now, what was a DtftinElive Mark of the People
\tf Ifrael from other Nations, (as was Circumcifion, the Jews Wafi-
fver and feventh-day Sabbath,) was, 1 faid, at an end and^oceafe
• (that is, to expire, for which words, voti put abelfhed) ivbenCbrift
had broken down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile, and
[made both One, and aboiijhed the Enmity (which arc the Apoftles
words there cited from Ephef. x. 14, it.) but inftead of ^ol'Jhed
\the Enmity, vou would have it that I make the Sabbath aboltjbed.
" And at the fame time (while you thus pervert roy words) you
Complain of Artifice, and Blamable, (as it yours were not fo,) for
[telling vou that, by the CMdren of Ifrael (whatever you mean) I
mean tie Children of Ifrael, that is, the Jews. Between whom, and
! the Gentiles, this was a D'fiinHive Mark^: and therefore then to
pepke when the Z>iflinffion was to oeale.
J» As to what you there add (Rep. p. j-x) He repeats, that the Sab-
\jbatb is a Si^n/yet dou\ts it was either not cbferved at aU, ot long be-
^ fere this time had been forgotten : I do not underftand the Wit of
" this Repartee, (unlefs it ly in perverting my words ;) Might not
tbe feventbdayincwtfe from the firfl raining of <JManna, be a difiin-
dive Sign for the future, though the feventh day in ccurje pom the
firfl Creation were either not obferved at all, or long fincefot got ten f
Like which is that Rep. p. x If I do not how which is the fi>ft or
Jeventh day in courfe from 'the Creation, why pxuld I write a Book
for the Observation of* day which is impoffible to be Known ! Indeed
W I bad writ a Book for the obfemtion of the firft day in courfe
from the Creation (as you do for the feventh-day in courle from
tbence) it had been fotnething : but may not we know which is
the
9 6 T4e CbriftiM Sdktk Part ft
thefirji day of Our weeh, without knowing which is fo in a cont'u
nualcirculatimoflVeeks from the Creation t This, I luppofe von
take to be Wit (elfe we fhould not have it fo often) and I will
allow it fo to be; (it is %*igmM$ t a pie turn of words to make
them look as if there were fomewhat of Argument in them when
there is none ; fuch as the Logicians call Fallacies;) Surely you
cannot think there is any fir en^th of Reafon, in fuch arguings.
And again to mention no more (though you oft talk at this rate)
Rep. p. 39, /// cannot tell which is the firji or feventh day of titc
Week (lrom thefirft Creation) this (you fay) overturns all my hook,
No j not my book, but yours : becaufe you reckon from thence, I do
not. I am contented with what is thefirji day of our week Or if we
cannot tell otherwife than by tradition (which claufe you think fit
conftamly to leave out) which is ioftom Chrijfs time ■ This tradi.
tion ferves me well enough as to this point, (becaufe we have no
other way to know it ; nor have you.) , Yet I muft not call this
Trifling, (That, you fay, 15 a hard word) I wifti the Reader do
not think it Trifling to take notice of thefe mtticifms. I lhal]
therefore let them pafs.
But whenlfay, I am in this print content with Tradition (ha-
ving no other way to know this matter of fad) pray do not fug-
gelfc the next time, as if m every thing I content my felf with ut
certain dark/peculations, and fome, uncertain Romifh Traditions, Rep.
p. 16. 61 Asp. s9, 6o- becaufe I am content, to take the names of
the weekdays as I find them, I am reprefented as taking all as I
find it, and taking all down without chewing.
Confonant to this doflrine (of permitting to the Jews, of what
was not to be impofed on the Genaks) is that of St. Taul to the
Uinitiaa Romans ; (Rom. i± ) many of whom, and perhaps the
grcateft part of them,feem to have been convertcdjcws(who thought
themfelvcs yet obliged to the Mofak^Law) others of them Con-
verted Gentiles (who thought themfelves under no fuch obliga-
tion :) Particularly m two things, difference of Meats, and diffe-
rence of Days ; (and it feems to be the fame perfons who were Scru-
pulous as to both 0 The Jew (who was not yet fatisfied as to his
Ctmltian hberty,) made Confcicnce of Eating what by the Mofaick
Law was ■.Unclean; the Gentile not fo, to whom that had not been
a Law vOneieheveib that he may cat aU things; ami her, who is weak,
*cateth herbs ; Twas a weakpefs even in the Jew, yet was permit-
Jed, though not to be impofed Let not him that eateth, defpife him
tnat eateth not; and let mt him that eatethmt, judge him that eat.
eth.
'art It Tht Ckrijlim Sabbath. g 7
■/A. And fo of Days; One man efteemeth one day above another,
[which I think to be meant of the Jcwif) S^<*M, though I fuppofc
you do not,) another efteemeth every day alike. And the reafon why
[ think it to be meant of the Jewiih Sabbath, is becaufe (as I have
hewed before, Z)ijc. p. jj, s6,Sl, from Dent. 16. $, 6, 11, iy, 16.)
pe other Feafls or Feflivals (as that of the Pah over, of Pentecoft,
ad of Booths,) were not to be obferved out of the holy land, but at
he Temple onely, and therefore of thefe there could be no doubt at
Home, becaufe there was no occafion for them ; but, of the Jewifo
Sabbath there was, even out of their land ; and fo, for the diffe-
rence of Clean and Unclean meats. And therefore I take thofe days
and thofe meats, to be the point in cjueftion. And what fays St. Taul
of thefe days } He that regards a day, regardeth it to the Lord; and
be that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it : Do
you think this to be meant of worJJjiping the Sun upon Sunday t { as
bu would infinuate ity.p.43.4^ //// he meant of a weekly re/t,you
Vfjit is direBedtbere,not to reft uponSunday^hich was obferved by the
feathens in honour of the St^n. ) Do you think that they who wor-
ked the Sun upon Sunday y did regard the day to the Lord I I think
lot ; nor was the like permifjion to be allowed to fuch, as here the
ipoftle doth allow. He doth elfe where forbid the eating of things
?w to Idols ; do you think he would allow them to worfhip the
m upon Sunday ; and not to be cenfured for fo doing ? It muft be
jerefbre meant of fuch Obfervance as wa* allowable, and of fuch
Jay for which there might be fome pretenfe even to Chrijlians (t£
hws) and. fuch as was to be obferved out of their own land, and not
Snfined to Jerufalem or the holy land. Which therefore I take
be meant of the Jewiih Sabbath ; which might be Obferved,
$ VLty Impofed.
(Which alio anfwers All your Allegations, which you often inG/l
j of Paul's going into the Temple, and the Synagogue, on the
\batb-day. For he might fo as well on that, as on any other
)g ; and he did fo on other days and in other places, where he had ,
^opportunity of a concourfe of People; as I (hewed you fully,
K- p- $°} $*>$h H- t ' iat I n eed not again repeat it. And 'tis
\ytry httjte you have faid againft it, Rep. p. 41, 42. that I think
needs no further Anfwer.
ttluch to the fame purpofe is his doflrine to the Galatians ; fave
feat here he feems much warmer. He calls it preaching another Gofi
% and perverting the Gofpel of Chriji, and doth anathematize, or
Sjnqunce them accurjed who fhall fo do, Gal 1, 6,^ M- and
H . villi-
9 $ The Chrifiun SMsth Part 11
wiiheth thofe v\vo trouble them, Chap.j.ii. by endeavou-
ring to bring the Gentiles, under the Mofakk. Law* He was con-
tented to indulge the Jews as to their own praclice, ( which was
the cafe of the Jews at gome \ ) but when they would not be con-
tented therewith, but would bang it as x/oke upon the Gentiles^
alfo, he will by no means admit it. For though the Bleffxng oj A
haham were to come upon the Gentiles, Chap* 3. r^. yet not the Srgn
or m.vk ofViftin^hn; there being now no difference between the
Circum:iJion and the Uncircum:ijbn x the 7ew and the Greek; which
he t4pt£t$' three times in this (tort Epiftle to the Galatians y Chap.
3. 18. Chap. j-. 6. Ch,6. i$> And that this is the main bufinefso!
this -Epiftle (toatrhthem againft thofe who would bring-in O'r-J
tumctjion and the m Mofakk Law ) is fo obvious that none who reads
the Epiftle, with attention, can doubt of it. Nor can it be though!
that it was the Gentiles intereft thus to introduce the Law, but the
Jem and Jttdaizwg Chriftians ; who , would c&nfirain them to h
circumcifed, that they might glory in their fie fh, Chap. tf. ia./i}.
Where though Circumcifionht mentioned as the chief Badge ; yet
this was to make them debtors tq the'whole- &aw, and obnoxious to
it, Chap.$. 5. And amongft thofe beggarly elements, whereunto
they defirt to be in bondage, this is reckoned as one great mftance,
ye obferve days and months and times and years ; for which he fay£
lam afraid of you left I have be/lowed upon you labour in vam y Chap<|
4. 9, 10. 1 1. In that to the Romans he fpeaks but of a day, which
was there in qneftion, (which I take to be ihtjewijb Sa&bath, as
coritradiftinfl from the Lords-day ; ) hete he puts in days and w
and months md years ; mt as if ( in Gaktia) there were occalicto
tor thofe other times (out of the holy land ;')".but becaufe there was
the feme reafon of all the Mofaiclc times ; And if this -day (of
which then the doubt might be j were thus to be brought upbn the
Gentiles, they might by ; fferfairie reafon bring upon them all the
reft ; for f tejiify faith he d every man who is circumcifed (and
thereby put under part of that Law ) that he is debtour to the whole
Law; and he that fubje&s himfelf to one of thofe days, is equally
obnoxious to ail thofe days and weeks and months and years* . And
if this (of the feveuth day from the firft raining of Manna in cort-;
tradiftin&ion to the Lords-day ) were one of thole, this (though not
particularly named ) comes under that general
What you object to this ( befide that the Jewrfb Sabbath is not
particularly named ) is, that thefe beggarly Rudiments or Elements
of the florid, is to be underrtood of the Heathen* World, and of the
Heathenifh Injiruftkns, while they were Children, and particularly
. H of
^ n \l The QhrifiUn SMatk 99
I Sunday, which you tell us fo often ( though I do
Las bv the Heathens obferved in honour of the Sun; And that to
W itfeemsMoft likely, andfearceto be doubted, that
tkmedby?aul, and the principal ont, mas Sunday, which the Hea-
thens obferved, who knew not God ' &c. Rep. p. ^^i^SSS
took a/ain, and Voti will find thefe Elements of the florid, were not
reathenijl Elements, but Jewtfh Elements, under which they had
been fubieft, but now were free; as now no longer under a School-
ma/ier, as before they had been, Gal j. 14,25% «* c .^ w ;jjj
a Child differs 'nothing from a Servant, though he ™>
J*/ is under Tutors and Governors till the time appointed by his ft.
ther • Even fo we, when we were children, were under the blemenrs
v f the Worn; but when the fulhefs of time was come (the time ap.
; pointed by the Father ) Godfent his Son - to redeem
■under the Law,tbat we might receive the ^ tm f^ A d x ^l
Sons now at age, and not, as mour Non-age r little differing irom
Servants ) C&>. 4. a, 3, i P Do 3 r ° u lbink StSW ' when i M
^^^^Mfi Element, f wo fping t sSunumt
\ Sunday t I thought Taut had been 4 the feed of Jbraham, of the
Trite lfBejamin,an Hebrew of the Hebrews { and I thefe, you there
Ell us, were not of thofe who knew not God, but did/vyce to thoje
Tho b nature are not Gods*) that hehad beer ^W*' f f'/^JJ
tof Gamaliel^ according to thejh'iffeji way of their Religion he lived
K PllifeeAnd was, as % the law blamelefs. 'Twas .not therefore
Heathenifh Elements and Heathenifh days ; but ElementsM
Jewifh days ; and if this from thefof raining of Manna ( as contra-
difhngmied from the Lords^day) were Rich ; this conies withm
rtiatifumber. He fays indeed ver.9. rMGalatians)^^*^
God, didfervice to them which by nature were not Gods ; But is tftere
no difference between Te andV? ? W We (faith Pan )
J^JLto tie Elements of the World; But Jw ft (notW^)
who ^ww &c.
A third place which I alleged to this pu.rpofe ( and which is com-
I' 1 monly alleged ) is Co/- x. 16. Lr/ w **** Mf|M« rt-
0 r in refpea of an holy-day ( or feilival ) * ?/ the Almoin n
of the Sabbath-days ; M are tfiadvu of things to come. Here Sab-
\ *U\s exprcfly named ( which takes off your exception that m the
' other place, it is not) and in contradictor! tto other Fejtnals
and New-moons. And this you acknowledge [ Ret. p. 44. ) feem t
he at leaft a cthurable objeQion, [ the mf colourable oljeBm that you
knorn. ) Let us fee howyou canavoid it, . ^
Digitized j>V the Center.)
tentist R
ICO
The Cbrijii/n Sabfatk Part II.
The Saints and faithful brethren in Chrijl which are at Colojj'e;
feem (you fay) to be converted Heathens, and I fuppofe many of
them were fo, but there were it feems, amongft them, fome Judai.
zing Chriflians. And Paul warns them ( you lay ) to beware leil any
manfpoil them through Philofophy and vain Deceit; which you take
to be Platonuk Heathen Philofophy ; but I take it rather to be the
Jewi/b Philofophy, or the doctrine of the Jews; becaufe of the
words that next follow, after the tradition of men, after the rudi.
ments of the fTorld, and not after Chrijl. Which I take to be a con-
tradiftin£hon of the Jewifb doctrine, to the Chrijlian do<2rine ; and
I fo think becaufe all the particulars there mentioned {meats
drinks, FcB'tvals, New-moons, Sabbaths, ver. id ) were Jewi/b Tra-
ditions: And fuch are thofc rudiments of the world, ver. 20, 11.
Touch not, toft not, handle not. And at ver. 11. the C'trcumifim of
Chrijl made without hands, is put in oppofition to the Jewifh
cumcifion (which was no part of Heathenifli Worfhip) in room of
whichwc havei?^, ver. 12.' and all this in purfuance of
Cbrijls blotting out the hand-writing of lOrdmances ver. if. and
nailing it to his Crofi ; meaning the Mofaick Ceremonial Law;
Chrilt being the Body of which thofe were but the Jbadows, v. 17.
In all whkh I fee no, mention of the Thilofophical Heathenifh world. '
but of the* Jewifh onely. And though the Heathens had alfo fome
Feftivals, I do not remember that I have any where found that
their Feftivals were wont to be called Sabbaths. You take, the Ru-
diments and Elements of the tVorld, to be the rudiments or firfl
tubing of the Heathenijh World; but 'tis plain to be meant of the
Jewi/b ffforld ( as I fhewed you but now from Gal. 4. 3. ) thofe Ru-
dinfents or Elements under which Paul was, before the fullnefs of
time was come ; which were ( not the Heathenifli, but ) jewifh E-
iements. And that you may not think it ftrange that the Jewilb
doffrine mould be called the Jewifh Philofophy ; you may confider
that the name of Philofophy was wont to be applied tothefeveral
forts of doctrines Or ways of teaching or wifdom of feveral*fe&»
or nations wherein they differed from one another, (as the Philo-
fophy of leno, Plato, Ariftotle, the Greeks, the Romans, andfo the
Jews or Hebrews. ) And thus Clemens Alexandrmus in his Stroto-
mata diftinguifheth the Philofophy of the Greeks, from the
t«» the Philojophy of the Barbarians, meaning that
; ot the Jews from whole Philofopby he fhews the Greeks had bor- -
r rowed much of their Learning. As before I fhewed you 2)ifc. p. S S
So that to me it feems clear to be meant, not of any Heathen Pbilo-
fopby, but the Philofophy, Wifdom,. or Learning of the Jews, the
Jewijb
Part II. The ChriflUn Sabbath. I01
Jewi/b Doffrine as contradiftinguifhed to that of Chrift.
You tell us Rep. p. 48. that; be fide the feventh-day Sabbath the
Jtws had at leaft three Fejlivals or Sabbaths ; The feafi At the Pafs-
'tver, Lev. 23. 4, The feafl of Pentecojl, fifty days after the Pafs-
tver, ver. i S , 16. (But that's a miftake, not Ji/ty days after the Pat s-
™\>™ fify days rfter the Wave-offering,) which two are indeed
called Ftjtrva/s, ( in the place by you cited ) but not Sabbaths } And
thelabbath of years, Lev. is. 4,9, 10. But all thefe (whether Sab-
baths or not Sabbaths) are confined to the Holy land, Deut. 16.
S,6 t 11, is, 16. Lev. 1?. 1. wherein the Coloffians were not coni
cerned (for ColoJJe was far enough off from the Holy land) and
therefore not likely that any of thefe are the SabUth here meant
but fome other Sabbath, to which they might pretend at Coloffe •
And what could that be but the Jews feventh-day Sabbath ?
Your former Exception ( becaufe of mCeirof here ufedin the plu-
ral number) that oitu-n. in the plural number doth never fignify the
Sahbath-day, but onely dCS tm in the Angular ; you now find to be a
miftake, and own that aiCU-n in the plural number is fometimes
nfed for ne Sabbath-day. But I am to inform you further that odCCa!)*
in the plural number, is not once or twice, but raoft frequently lb
ufed by the Septuagwts (in their Greek Tranflationof the Old le-
bmcnt, cfpecially of the five iBooks of Mpfes) whole Language the
New Teflament doth ufc to follow. You know that in divers Lan-
[uages there be>any words which as to the form be T/ura/s } but in
ignification Singulars. Thus Nupti<c y though in the plural num.
bcr, figmfies but One Marriage, and Nundirue One Fair, and jttht-
fcf One Athens ; fo Calenda is but one day {pies Calendarum,) and
hon<t is dies mnarum, and ldus is dies i/uutn : And tertio Calendas
cu Calenda* urn, is tertio die ante C alendasfeu diem Catendarum. And
uch is ™M*.t« for One Sabbath-d^y, dies Sabbatorum. So in the
ourth Commandment Exod. 10. 8. ^taw ftw »>W* <*>M'i*r>
lemember the Sabbath-day ( diem Sabbatorum ) to heep it holy. And
nr. Jo. iriw 79 igiiw aiBfaU the /event/? day is the Sabbath
fcbbatha) of the Lord thy God. And Deut. ia. ifap
Mm, keep the Sabbath day (diem Sabbatorum) to fanttify it; and
r. 14. Tit A v«o a 7* iCJoftti oit/U-m auto but the I event l A day is
fabbata ) the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. Exod 1 6 ij. aj^ m
Y* v "' V * y f>'<r* «Jci«r, to morrow is thefabbath ( Sabbatha ) a
r / [° , the Lord > and ver ' l6 ' 7 * J T " ™M*t*, on
feventb day is the fabbath ( Sabbata. ) Exod, 31. 13. ^ ai$fi*ii ^
ti&aiy ^««f S?7, my Sabbath (Sabbata) it is a fign between me
and
19*
The dittyhn SMath.
Part II.
flr VZl m the nlural aerees with n( «*f and *S* m the fin-
ffiffiilS ) b/caufe, thocgh m^e plural
den cfmd lball keep the Sabbath ( *1 aJjfciW ) If « fcW «•
y EV w Where, in five verfes together Sabbaa in the
& P Ut^
^tf^V&t**** SMtfs or rejts) EM
I!, 1? t a ( and in how many more places I do not at pre-,
kit if e mbe , 4 ) tffiS manifest that ?* 4, jP *
«^ L «Vday. And if thefe be not enough I can eaUy fcj
nTlh von with more For in all the five Books ol Moles we lhafl
MVW «lCf« in the lingular number, but 4*t. »
the nlural I (hall not deny but that it may be found m fom
S Books of the OldTeftW (.for 1 ^ take them toU
all tranflated by the fame hand, or in the fame ftilc ) But as
her is wont, to be ufed as a Proper name for one Sabbath-day. ft
WZWMH is fometimes ufed and in A^W
^ty often in the lingular number ; but very ^»»?*H
hit^K
£abbaw-d&¥* alio in i^cw \ L \i r ffl / f ,mi
lows theianguage of the Scptuagmts )
-called c««* it is. very often and . *g * -ffi^
.and fo I take it to be here ineant Col. 1 U B «CC«r*
feartll. The CkriftiM SMrth. »J?
Sa^*r/j ( whether or ^.r be fupplied, I think is much one ;
for the Original hath neither ; } Let no matt judge you in meat cr in
-drink, « i» iopft ft » «r » of <i
or New-moon cr Sabbath ; that is, I take it, •«< V«f«« ^
'firm, as we find it commonly worded, not W «>f*r W e*CMitf,
which I think is no where found in Scripture.
And (as here) fo in divers other places FfaW, New-moon and
&Mitfi6 we find mentioned as in the fame equipage, 2 Kin. 4. 23.
Wherefore wilt thou go to him today' it is neither New-moon nor
Sabbath 1 Chr. 13.31. In the Sabbath, on the New-mbon and m
the jet Feajis. 2 Chr. 2. 4. /or />6f burnt-ogevings, oh the Sabbaths,
and on the fflw-tnooBj, and on tbe folemn Feajis. 1 Chr. 31 . 3, /?ar»/-
fir /if &M«^ «W for the New-moons and Jor the Jet
feafts. Nehem. 10. 37. BurnUferings of the Sabbaths, and of the
■New-moons, for the fit Feafi. tfai. 1. i 3> H- ^ New-moons' and
Sabbath I caiinot away with, pur New-moons and your Womted
mjsfmfouihaleth. Ezek.4y.1-7. mhe Feafts and m the New-
\ nJns and in the Sabbaths. Ezck. +6. 3. In the Sabbaths and m the
New-movns. Lain.!. 6. The Lord hath caufed the Jolemn heap ; u,>
, Sabbaths to be forgotten. Ezek. 46. 1. IiJhaUbe fbatjhtfjrwor^
days, bur id the Sabbath it fiia/l be opened, and in the day of the- New-
mm it (hall be opened. Hof * 1 1. fwillcaufe att her mirth to ceaje,
'6er' F(aff-days, M -New-moons, and her Sabbaths. Amos g. J", trbtn
itiS the New moon be gone 'that we may jell corn, and toe Sabbath
that'we mat fet fhih wheat ? Mow if in all thefe places-, where
Sabbaths are coupled with Ntw moom arid Feajis, it be meant of the
fyw'sSaenth.day Sabbath,why Ihould it not be thought to be fo meant
htrt-Colx.r6.of tlx Feq/l,tr of the New-mom,or of the Sabbath r I add
: W mie plact more, which£ir*. p.2-. you thuscite, ; (tfrr^m»|/o
Gofpd-tMes,\lt jbaU come topaji that from one Sabbath to another JIm/J
ali pfh vome fo worfitp bejihe me, faith Jehovah, IJau 66. 2-3,24. And,
voih this^m fay, that 'great GofpeWropbet concludes his 9ropheJy:
which ^mi (hotild have cited thus, From one New-mom to another,
and fi-ofti one Sabbath to another M- which therefore fayes no more
of the Sabbath than of the New-moon. And why thofc words *
FrtB or f^miotr^Sabbath' Ihould not he thought to lignily
the fame in M iM- as the fame words^^'A^f^J*** m-
Utfr, do fignify in E«&& H tCh>.*-iV- i Chr. 2 4 ^
'it 3. 2S*Ai&$- Hof. 2. m ( and the other places cited) Hee
no rtafon.- And if the words Fwff and New-moon fignify the lame
here as there ; why fhould not alio Sabbath be thought here to
fignify -arthete it doth ?' ' All wfcch is^fel* in derogation of
'Digitized by the Center f<
r entist Research
i|4 Tk Chrifiim Sahbatk Part II.
the fFeekfy Sabbath indefinitely, but of thatjfcwr Weekly Sabbath,
in Contradiftin&ion to the Lords day. Wliich I am fain to men-
tion fo often ( in defenfe of my felf and others ) becaufe where
you find any to mention that the Weekly Sabbath or Seventh-day
Sabbath ( meaning that oi the Fourth Commandment ) is not here
abolifhed ; you prefently catch at it as if they fpoke it of this
Seventh-day Sabbath ; ( that of the Jews from the firft raining
of Manna ; ) whereas you know, that even thofe wjio thus fptak,
do conftantly maintain, that the Jews Seventh-day Sabbath was
exchanged fox the Lords-day r which is a Weekly Sabbath as well
as that of the Jews.
You have yet another Exception, whereby you hope to elude
this place ■ ( leaving no Hone unturned, to baffle it it you can ;)
Repi p. 4^,47,48. that ouKJtw in the plural number is in the
New Tejlament fame time underftood of the Sabbath, and fometime
of the Week \ and to you it feems it ought rather to be here ren-
dered Weeks. 'Tis well you laid ^CCirar (not for you
had no pretence, as to any other Cafe but the Genitive. But I
*k> not find that either here, or any where elfe, either in the Jin-
gular or the plural number, either in the Genitive or any other
Caje y it fignifies week ox weeks. The onely pretenfe ( that I know
of ) why you fo thinly is, becaufe mtfiirmj is commonly ren-
dered the first day of the week \ as if you thought fu* to fignify
firft and mrM*7*f week. ( And fome others, not well attending
the Greek conftnidtion, are apt fo to take it. ) Bat it is a miftake
( as I told you the iaft time, and have here again told you more
-than once. ) For this is not a literal translation ( word for word)
.but onely as to the fenfe (phrafe for phrafe) ftich as when pi
yliot^l Rom. j. 4, 6. Rom. 8. 2, 1 5, and elfe where ) is tranflated God
firbid; not as : if ^ fignified God 7 and forbid ; but becaufe
an Greek ^ }irw7a v ( it mt ) a^fwers to our EngHQi phrafc God
forbid,; for whsft.^^Keject with fome Abhorrence. So 2 Joh. 10,
1 1. y* K*ym y Bid him not God fpeed. Thus $1 ax€Ch*f { that
is &a ttA e <f W-ob9£^t«;v ) one day after the Sabbath^ anfwers to our
EngUlh phrafc the firft day ofjhe week. And fo Luh 18.12,. vnstio
JU tr^itb (that is &d from the Sabbath ( or after
eaclvSabbathi ) 1 fa ft twice \ hefore the next Sabbath ) which is
tfee fame in fesie with our Kugliflji phrafc , / foft twicf in the
week. - Not as if it were rendered word- for word, bin fenfe for
fenfe 4 4>therwife, if era'ce*™* bad fignified <week 7 it fhould have
hcen 1^ (WeaV? (that is, JU h i*f mSC&rv) not JU <ra
aaJiae it is. 'Tis your miltake therefore to think rfiat either
'part II. tkt Chripan Sabbath. f PS
wtefa™ or *itt*m doth of it felf fignify week or weeks > here or any
where elfe. And this I told you the faft time, though you do nor
think fit to take notice of it,or regard it ; nor do you now bnngany
"thing to take off that Anftrer. And, befide theft Two Inftancc:
(which, are clearly folved by theEllipfis of the Prepohtion *m)
I do not know a Third, where either Wgar* or w^tm is fufpeftec
to fignify Week ; and, no wh^re. Weeks. And if ijx
plural number always fignify either Weeks or Sabbaths; ltwtL
■ make a&ainft, not for you j As at Mat. iS. t. U* *? ^ T f"
\^ !t ^Wl*"* at the end of the fabbath, when the next day
after thefabkathvoas drawing on } [o I under/land it: but it (becauic us
the plural number; which } you fay, doth ordinarily fignify more than one)
1 you will W% % ™ hen ™ ere at an en *l °\ when Szbbathy
were atari end; your work is -at an end : For if there mud be
. no more Weeks, or no more Sabbatbs> what will becotpe of your
I v Seventh-day Sabbath ? But if you would have n&henthe Seventh day
" Sabbaths were at ah end, and the Brfl-day Sabbath coming on ; this
makes for the Z>$#<?r, not qgainft the Potior y . as you would have n
I Repl t p.47. I add "further, it the Sabbaths Col. i.id. do mean the Fin i
; day i.e. Sunday, (as you thcreTuggeft,) why do you tell us [Ettftt.
1 a 28;} that, in the Old and NewTeJlavtentj the Ftrft day 1* never
'called Sabbath* And in levit 23. u, 14. both the day of the w-
and the day of^entecojl (which, Rep, p, 46. you would haye
'tohea^i^, though! tdo not find 'it' the re fo called) were both
j of them to be on the the morrow after the Sahbath, which 1 take w
be the firft day of the week'.
And yet further; If rhefe Ceremonial Sabbaths of the yews, ( for
■ you do not pretend toftew that the Hedthemfh days were ever call-
. cd Sabbaths) be the Sabbath (day or days) here intended ; the word
a*$£JrM might have been. left out, and the word' tym would as
' " well have ferved without it. For ( whether Sabbaths or no ) they
are all Fejlivals Skt*?, and fo caflcd {Fenfis of the Lord) Levit. 23, z }
4,6, u, is^ Zij4rftig^#3 And thcfe f e
in contradiftinaion to the Sabbath , 4^ $ ««^w,> befide tte
Ubc Sabbath of the Lord, ver. 3 -7, j 8. For though the Sahath alio
he a Feaft y ver, i> 3. yet it is fomewhat more than thofe other
Fcafts, and therefore (in the place before u%fCol 2. 16. ) /us men-
Luoned ty name^ as diftina from the reft, Let no man m dge you m
regard (Lffi S i VM rU S «f&fr*0 of a Fejltval, or Newmoo^orSa^ m
' bath. Whereof the Fefthml returned once a Tear f the I&w-mm y
k > once a Month : the Sabbath once a Week. Which therefore I takfe
\\ to be the Jewifh Sabbath as contradiftingnilhisd to Uie Lorfs day\
0 For
Sventis t Rese arch
ic6 The Chrifiun S&bbath. Part II.
For 'tis of the j/wifh InlHtutions, (not the Chrijtian fnjlitutions}
that he is here fptaking : not of the Lords day, nor ot tht Lords
Supper ; though thefe be Chti/lian Feajis, as were the Jcvoifbr Sab-
baih and Tajuver Feafh of the Jeutf. Which Chriftim Feflivals }
exclude thole of the Jews, as Baptifm excludes Circtmcijiw^ vcr.
,H, i 2. Yet not fo but that they were then Permitted to the Jews
(though not obliging) but not to be Impofed upon the Gentiles.
Befide thefe places alleged, wherein is mention of Bays, Fea/ls,
Sabbaths, &c. The fame exemption f rom thefe I take to be imply-
cd in all thofe other places, which lay Jews and Gentiles in com-
mon. Is he the God of the Jews onely } is he not alfo of the Gen-
hies i Tes, of the Gentiles alfo, Rom. 3. 29. There- is no difference
let ween the Jew and the GreeJ^: For the fame Lord over aU 9 is rich
unto ail that call upon him, Rom. 10. n. Are we better than they t
Nojn no wife, Rom. 3. p. Cometh this biefJednffiapn^fa Ch'CUm
onely ! or upon theVncircumcifion alfo ) Tes, upon them alfo ; ver. 29.
Fur Faith was reckoned to Abrabmfvr fighn 'dUfotjS ; Mot when he
was in Circumcijion, but in (Jncircumcijidn ; that he might be the fa-
ther of all that believe, though they be not circumcifed y Rom. 4. 9, 10,
j i. Ctr.umcijion is nothing, 'and^Uncitcumcifion is nothings 1 Car. %
19. So Gal j. 18. Gal y. 6. Gal 6. ij. and to the fame pnrpofe cJfe:
where. In which places, and others to the like purpofe, though
Circumcifion be mentioned as the diftffi&We Chara&er, yet it is in-
tended as a comprehenfive Word of the whole <jMifaici_Laiv fo
iar as it was peculiar to the Jews, as appears AH. \$. \. Except ye
bt circumafed after the manner of ^fofes ; And ver. $. needful to
circumcife them y and command them to keep the law ofMofes. And
ver. mujl be circumcifed and' keep tie Lazv. And Cat. y. 3. he
that Is circumafed is a debtor to do we whole law : And Chap 6. 1 3. the
Apoftle complains of it, as incongruous, to prefs Ci r Came rj 'ion , with-
out an obligation to the whole Law ; ( for neither they who are
circumcifed keep the Law ;) intimating a like obligation to both, and
a like exemption from both. And therefore cohorts them to/fitf^
fty in the liberty wherewith Chrijl hath made them frte, w/(aftcr
Uich frtedomc ) not to be again int angled with the yoke of 1 bondage,
Chap.j. 1. And, in like manner, thole ttjerufakm, Aff. if. ( lince^
that God\ (ay they, bath put no difference bctwcen*us and them ) con-
clude not to put a yoke on tbeneckjoftbe difcip/es } but onely thofe
ueceffary things (of which the Jewifh Sabbath is none,) ver. 9, 10,
19,20,28,19. And again A3, it. zo, zu 24, ay. So that what
was before peculiar to the Jews is declared to be not obliging to
Digitized bv the Cei
.Part IT. The Chriftan Sabbath. *°7
the Gentiles : of which number I take this to be one, of deternri-
. nine their Sabbath, to the Seventh day front the firft raining of Man.
\na And,confequemly,we are not obliged (together with the Lwds-
day) to obferve the Jewifo Sabbaths
I have now difpatch'd ( and I think fufficiently } both parts < 1
, what I undertook : To Jultify our obfervation of the Loros Day ,
And that we are not obliged to thejewilh Sabbath. I fliall nowen-
1 deavourtofatisfyyoujititmaybe) M what vou moft infill upon,
\ for the continuance of the Jcwilh Sabbath, whether with or with
out the Lords day. ; . /• .u l
What vou endeavour to maintain, is this; That pom the begin-
nm of the W^rU, as anient as the Creation (Rep. p. 8.) before tht
entrance of Jin and the fall of wan fEnq. p. a?. £• Rep. p. jo. ) om
Lord Jefus Chrijl, our Mediator and Redeemer (Enq. p. i 13, 64, J,
~ at 86 ix6, in ) did obferve, inftttute, hle/s and fanRifytbe
feventbday\k^- i%M and that this dotb include the J event b
dav of every wek.after*ards in a continual fucceffon or circulation 0}
day and weeks (Enq.p.a 7 ,*o, gy . Rep.p 6,7.) f d ^ t ^f t f da J.
(Enq p.x?.) then orfince confecrated or obferved as boly, but the f event b
lonely} Rep. p. 1, 8. ) and not onely Afeventb day, but The feventb
diy (in a continued courjefrom the fir si creation, and norther day of
ticwek, (Enq.o. h 46,ns.)foUn f as the IVmU lafls (Enq. p.
za Sep. p. u 1. ) to Gentiles, as vieU as Jews ( Enq p. aj, 24, aj". )
^ this I llginalways at Smfet .( Enq. ^ 8j. Rep. p. 68. ) And
that this was thenceforth observed continually, { Enq. p. a;, H, ia. )
even to this day (Enq. p. i9-ll ) *** '^e memory thereof, ^ that we
mav not be at a lofs to know which is the day, tranfmitted continu-
ally from Father to Son ( Rep. p. 10. ) and this tradition never inter-
rupted or forgotten, ( Enq. p. 39- ) either before or fme our Saviours
time, Enq. p. 19, ~8, 93. Rep. p. a, 3,^3. ,
But certainly there is much of this that we have no Word lor ,
no Exprefs Command recorded. 'Tis but your conjures or obfeure
inferences which you build upon ; while nothing will ferve you in
our cafe, but an exprefs command recorded in the wrd. Enq.4). 4,
■32 41,44,48,70. As I have already (hewed in molt of the par-
ticulars. And fhall again inftance in fome of thera.
When you tell us, the Seventh-day- fahhath is as ancient as the
creation, (Rep. p. 8.) I fuppofe you will abate the firjl Six days, for
there is no pretenfeof a Sabbath before the Snentb. And I fuppofe
vou will allow a precedence to the Inftitution of Marriage ; lor
though in order of the Story, the creation ot Eve, and giving her
l0 & The ChriftU* Sabbath. Part It
in marriage to Adam, Gen. 2. be roe ntioned after that of Cods reft 9
ing on the feventh day, yet in order of Time it was before it : For
tis fure that on the Sixth day, God had created Man, male and ft-
mare, aftejr his own image, Gen. t 27. andBlefled them, faying,
Be fruitful and multiply, ver. 18. And the like of their Eating the
forbidden fruit, Gen 3. though mentioned afterward, might be be-
tore, for ought we know. And therefore when you tell us (En*, p.
rh ~c 1 and Re P % P' s 0 that il was be f or€ the cntrance °f Sin and the
fauof Adam; 'tis more than you or I know, (there is no fVord for
it, nor is it Jb Written;) And ( if that were material to our bufinefs)
\t may be literally true, Man being in honour continued not, or as the
words are m the Original (ffal. 4.9. 12. ) Adamm honour, (lodged
not, or) continued not anight; but became like thebeajl that p€rifh,{oi
became mortal:) And 'tis likely enough that they might Sin the
Sixth day ( on uhich they were created ; ) For elfe ( Adam and Eve
being created, not as in an eftate of childhood, but as at full-age ■
and, having received the Bleliing of Increafe and multiply) if they
had fo continued one night, I fee not why Cain (if the firft. born )
njightnot have been conceived in innocency (which I hardly think,
as well brother rcafons, as becaufe it is not till after they Were
put out of Paradifc,that 'tis faid, Adam kyiew his WifcEvcand Jhe con*
u Gcn 4 ' And lf they ha<1 ( as y° u fll PP° fe ) celebrated the firft
Sabbath in Innocency, I lee not why he fhould not then have duly
eaten of the tree of Life, to live for ever^Qm-'i. £ and Chap. j. ».
which is thought to have been a Sacrament of their Confirmation
in Innocencv, and freedome from 'Death ( to which, by eating of the
other Tree, they became obnoxious, Gen. 2. 17. and Chap. j. u,
ip. ) But this not being our prefent bufinefs, I fhall not infill: up-'
on it. , ,i\ ■ a i ■ % . ■ A
I could tell you alfo'of fome Grave Divines (if that were the way
ot deputation between you and me to quote Authorities) who
jead it (Gen. 1. 1.) And on the Seventh day God Terfeffed the
work which he had made (for fo vajickal fignifies :) u ndcrf landing it
of Gods proroife-of Chrift on that day (before which promife, the
condition of man after the fall, was very imperfeff as to his hap.
pinefs,) and by Gods Bleffing that day, they underftand this great
BleJJmg promifed on that day. Perhaps you may have feen a noted
Treatife to that purpofe of Mx. Walker, a grave Minifterin London
above threefcore years ago. And I have by me a ManufcriptTreatife
to the fame purpofe of Dr. A/ting (Jacobus Altingius)* grave Divine
and Profeflor at Groningen, .in purfuanee of Mr. Walker's notion,
which he doth highly approve. But I lift no t to flart new matter
*0 0 f
Part IL The Chriftity Sabbath. 109
f difpute between you and me when there is no need of it. Onelv
may mind you, how flight a matter you make (Rep p. 11. ) of
Shrifts foleran^/^Z^his Difciples and their Aflembly (Job. 20.
k$, 21 . ) a firft and fecond time, on the day of his Refurrechon be-
ing thefirft day, while here you would (on the Seventh day) make
pan Inftitution.
I might tell you alfo that the other word to Sanctify, doth not
neceflanly fignify to lnjlitute, but to celebrate, or keep holy, 'Tis
the fame word in the Hebrew, for tJMans San&ifying the Sab-
lath in the Fourth Commandment, Exod. 20.8. and T)eut.$. 12.
Remember the Sabbath day to fanftify it ) that is here uied of Cod,
he JanBifedit.) And the fame word Exod. 20. ol \&fan at ver. 8.
nd of God, ver. 1 1. he blejfed the Sabbath day and Sanftifyed it.
But fure tht meaning is not, Remember to InHitute the Sabhath
y. So Neb. 1 3. 22. to Sanffi/y the Sabbath day. Jcr. 1 7. 22^4, 27.
And 'twere endlefs to tell you how oft wc are minded to Sutifijfy
the Sabbath day ; that is, to Celebrate or Keep holy, but not to IrtJU-
We the Sabbath-day : So Joel %. ij, 16. Sanftify a Fajl, cull a So-
lemn Afjembh, gather the Teople, &c. that is, Celebrate &c. Though
n all thefe places it be the fame word in the Original that is here.
4nd if to Blefi and Celebrate be here an Inftitution ; why fhould it
Bot be fo when ChriH did JSlefsand Celebrate the day of his Refur-
teffion, with bit Difciples. Mean while I am loth to extenuate or
tfiminifh the fenle of the word here, but willing to allow its full
ibrcc and emphafis : Onely to (hew you how unkind you are to the
Lords<day ( which, with you, is worfliiping the Sun upon Sunday)
irhile you are fo very zealous for the Jewifh Sabbath, as thofe Aft.
Li. 20. zealous of the law. Yet I fhall not call it, woifbiping Saturn
upon Saturday.
LvAnd whenyou make fo great a bufinefs, and lb often, with A
Seventh and The Seventh ; Wc call it The feventh as well as you.
But the queftion is, The Seventh from whence i In Exod. 16. it is
The Seventh in courfe from the firft raining of t3Ianna; In the
ourth Commandment, his The Seventh after fix days of labour :
The Lords-day is The Seventh in courfe from the day of Chrift s Re-
hreffion. Tis vain to think that where-ever we meet with The
feventb-day it muft prefently fignify The feventh in Courfe from
be firft Creation. On the Seventh day the Child died, 2 Sam. 1 2 18.
I'this the Seventh from the creation f or from the raining of Man-
$? or after Six days of Labour f No. But the Seventh day of the
Jhilds age and fickftefi. So the feventh day, Juilg. 14. ly, 1-, 18. is
fae Seventh day of Sampfons fe*H: hwifofb. 6. 4, 15-. the Seventh
liv^I; day
\
Part II. fart IT.
, , o The Chips* Sabhth.
day of their tompaffxng the Walls of Jericho. So Lev. 23. 8. m the
Seventh day is a he// Convocation, ye thai) do no fcrvile work therein.
Is this the Seventh in courfe trom the Creation? No. But the Se.
venth day of the Tafchal Feajl, or Fea/l of Unleavened Bread, what,
ever day of the Week it happen to be. And the like M the fame
Chapter, Lev^i-it ver. 24, 27, 30, 32, ir, ?6\ 3 9. where ' f^t Se-
venth dap doth nbt fignify the Seventh incowxk frtm the firft Cre-
Alton, b&fdtoe other Seventh day. And when Enq. p 16. from Ex.
24 16 the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud
cneredit Six days, and the Seventh day he called unto Mofes out of
the midft of the cloud, You would have this to be on the Seventh day
SAbbath : "Tis more than You or I know. 'Twas indeed the Seventh
day after tbof'e Six on which the Cloud covered Mount Sinai, but it
is not faid it was the Sabbath day, or the Seventh day of the Week,
much lefs the Seventh in courfe from the firft Creation; all this is
hut your Conjeffure without Book. Now pray tell me, How I fhall
know that thefeventh day (Exod. 16". 20. 17, 30.) from thefirjl ram-
in* of Manna, is the feventh in courfe from the Creation, any more
th 6 an that the feventh day of the Cbilds age is fo ? or the feventh day
of Sampfons feajl f or,the feventh day ot eucompaftng Jericho ? You
will fay perhaps, Becaufe 'tis faid Exod. 26. 13. To morrow (is] the
reft of the Ho!/ Sabbath; and ver. ij-. today [is] a Sabbath to the
Lord, zndver. i5. thefeventh day [which is] the Sabbath. But this
will not ferve the turn ; • for the word [rs] is not in the Original,
but fnpplied by the Trandators : to morrow the reft ; Today a Sab-
Uth ; The feventh day, the Sabbath ; that is, is or is to be; for the 0-
rieinal will indifferently hear either. And ver. 29. See, for the
ford hath Given you the Sabbath (as ifthere were now newly given)
therefore he giveth you on thefixth day the bread of two days. Like as
Levit 1- 3. i» the feventh [is] an holy Convocation,^ Jball do infer-
Vile work,; [or is to be:] But this is indeed a Sabbath (nofervik
wirk to be 3bn* in it ) and fo you call it ( Rep.?. 48. ) and though it
be The feventh day, yet not the feventh in courfe from the firft Cre-
ation; but the Seventh day of the Tafchal feaft (on whatever day
of the Week.) Yet in all thefe places it is in the Hebrew Hafhebigm
( The Seventh ) as well as here. So that Thefeventh, will do you
no Service : Nor doth it hence appear that the Jewifh Sabbath was
oil the Seventh in courfe I rom the fijfl Creation.
However ( you'll fay ) the feventh from the first Creation, was the
day on which God refted. And no doubt but the feventh from the
firft Creation was the feventh from the firfi Creation ; The Seventh
day of the World, was, the Seventh day of the World ; Th«
J Seventh
in
The Chriftia* Sabbath.
jbventh day of the Tear, was, the Seventh day of the Tear ; The
leventh day of the Month, was, the Seventh day of the Month ;
tad The Seventh day of the Week ( if they did then reckon by
Veeks ) was The Seventh day of the Week > But whether or no
they did then reckon by Weeks, is the point in queltion. That they
did then reckon by Days, Months, and Tears, we may learn from
Gen. 1. 14. (which are plainly diflinguiflied by the Motions of the
Sun and Moon, ) But no mention of Weeks, there nor any where
ilfe )(that I can find) earlier than Exod 16. after their coming
<6ut Egypt. Nor do the Sun and Moon fo djftinguifli Weeks, as
Ithey do Days, Months and Tears.
k But fuppofe we, that God did ( as no doubt he did ) Celebrate or
VStgnalisse ( by fome eminent Act or great Bklling) this Seventhly
W the Week, of the Mcnth, of the Tear-, of the World} as for
teftance, by calling Adam" and Eve to account for having Eaten of the
Forbidden Fruit ; and thereupon.pronouncing a Sentence upon the
Serpent, the Woman, the Man, and the Earth; and then cloung
(ti^ith the BlefedTromife of the Seed of the Woman; How doth
Nit appear from hence that it is to be our Pattern ? and, if a Pattern,
whether as to the feventh day of the Week, or of the Month, or of
l the Tear ? 'Tis not faid Man did Blefs, Sanctify, or Celebrate that
Iday, or that he was commanded fo to do, or did celebrate any Sab-
ibath before that of Exod. 16. from the firft Raining of Manna. Or
$Man>i\(i> might be faid (fo far as he was therein concerned) to ft-
Helrate \ not to inflitute) this one day (as Mofes and Ifrael Exod.i j\
-did that of their palling through the Red-Sea, on whatever day that
Was ; And Noah upon his coming out of the Ark, Gen.8. 20,11. when
be alfo received a Tromife that God would no more deflroy the World
WbiTb a -Fhod, when God gave the Rain bow as a token of this Cove-
hMt .ttith him andmth all Flefh, Chap.o. 9,10, n, 12,1 3, 14,1*, 16,
H" r And 'Deborah and Barai Judg. s- upon the Deftruftion of St-
Wera: ) It doth not, from hence, follow that this muft therefore be
tebferved weekly, to the End of the World. There was indeed in the
BP*/} over, an Annual memorial ( not weekly ) of the day on which
Whey came out of ' Egfpt; but not to the World's end.
I You'll fay perhaps Gods refting is made a Pattern in the Fourth
Commandment,Tiotofan annual but a weekly Sabbath. Very well.
But -that doth not appear from hence (Gen. 2. ) but from Exod. 20.
after Exod. 16. and from thence 'tis owned a weekly Sabbath is to
Ae obferved, that as God after the fix days of Creation did reft from
\0 eating, fo they after fix days of labour fhould on the feventh keep
■Sabbath ; which feven days were then (1 fuppofe) to be reckoned from
the
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112
The ChrifiUn Sikkath. Part II.
the firft raining of Manna Exod. 16". And therefore I do agree (Z?//r.
from Gem. and Extd.it>. (jointly) a weekly Sabbath is well in-
ferred thenceforth ; but not from Gen.x (fingly,)as you feem willing
fometime to mif-take me. And therefore,whatever may be
fttppofed from hence , here is woexprefi command recorded ( fuch as
you demand for the Lords day,) it is not exprefiy /aid ( as I then told
vou ) that All mankind muB, for ever after, obferve every Jeventh day,
in every week of days, reckoned continually from the fit Si Creation i
( thefe were my words 2>ifc. p. 4 ) To which your aniwer is ,( Re}..
p 6. ) The feventhday bleffedand Janilified Gen. z, a, j. dothincJude
the jeventh day of every week afterwards in*a ctntinttaljttccejfkn or
circulation of days and weeks. But how doth this from hence ap-
pear ? unlefs we rauft take your word for it; (as Enq. p. jx)
But then, why muft this Every whe re, begin jufi at Sunfet, (for
which you are lo very pofitive ) ? Here is'no iuch IV >rd that, J find,
nor anv mention of Evening and Morning, or of darknefi and light
on the 'Seventh day. I do not doubt but there was (as on other dajs)
light and darkjtefi, morning and evening, on this day alfo : But here's
no notke taken of it, nor anv Empha/is put upon it. You fay, Tbu
day was to begin as did the fi ft day and all the re&, (becauie you
fay fo, ) that is, you fay, at Sunfet. But where is it written (and
where fhould 1 read it) that the ■ Firft day did begin at -Sunfet!
The First day did begin at the fame moment, as to ailthetoor/d;
and why then mould not the Jeventh t but 'tis not Sunfet at the
fame moment, all the' world over. You tell us {Repkv. 6<r.) Tptt
know no place in the IVord where it is [aid that every fabbath after-
ward was to begin the fame moment of time that - the jirft fabbatk
began in faradife. ( I fuppofe, you meant fenfe, when you fo.fpeak,
though i t be ill exprefied. ). 1 anfwer, Nor do I know, any place, in- tie
Word where it is faid, that every fabbath afterward was to begin at
Sun fet. Ycu tell 113^ there alfo, on what part of the fourth def
the Sun was created is not certainly revealed that you know,, nor do h
(I add alio, nor in what' Meridian, whether that ot Taradife, or
ionic other, ) and I have told you likewife, Neither do we how
at what time of' the- firft day God faid,. Let: there be light;, and
therefore we do ridt know, how long it had been dark before the
Morning began. And- 1 now tell you further, We do not jtnow
on what p.vt of the (event h day, God hie fed and fanilified it. If
you fay, God Janilified it by his Example all the day : then you
refolve this fancJif cation into example, ( not a> Command ; ) If you
think it f-'smifies Irrme nofitive Command; at what time of the day
was th^t ? You'llTay, He defied all the day- ; and therefore, from the
Begin.
hit II.
The Chrifttm Stbhth.
Hi
Beeinninf of it at Sun-fet. Whether it began *W*^f£*
Koinun auction. That he Refledallthe day, I can d ow ^
)U t P fo he din on the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth ^;J^>^.
■died from Creating, having finifhed that £'^ on * h *^fe
f Bl that day,<you4W perhaps,) is the firft on which ho dro>
ret? and \rC Come part of that day he did further fanftifytt.. .iSovr,
hat 2tfLt£™ the firft "day wherein he di \f™^
srant vou ; but not the firft *»w»f wherein hedid fo reft, ly
SJ ww on the fixth diy. - For the Creation of &s fu God
m Zk rf lotion, (aAeaft, the ^7 e k ? 0 ^
W fonre while before the end of the fixth day, tor he did. at a
that brim her to Adam, and give her to he hts wife mJUtutea
fe« iS-Bwf t£ the Nuptial BenedMcn, Befrmtfuland
Spf! which was after that! Refledfrem creating but Jg
fore tie end of the Sixth day. But at what hour of that bi.vth
7 day he fo refted, we know not, fo that we arc not
gi I m Sabbath 'from the time of JSK t
Tome pofitrve Ailing; which is not likely to have been a j Sag*
lontemPiatmg boas mjimie ww» »/ TJJl Tl«
( ftep d - ^1 this he did on the Sixth day. For, before thecrea-
io?o Uv\ God brought to ^^^^^^
fowl of the air, and every living creature, ^/^^JS"
S ZhIm, (to each according to it. nature as is fuppofed,)
he called them that was lie name thereof Cm. ,9,10 . » that,
his Contemplation, thereof, began on thtfixth day, and would ha e
b«n for oughtwc know ) Every days work had he continued in
Innocency, for the Six-days la/our/znA thetef of his brow, be-
l ^otU after the fal!%*. *A*«>p ^?SX whether
Ireat lofs ( as to what you can (hew us from this place ) whether
%oe are to keep « Sabbath, and when tt is to begin.
Yon ttU m ( W P- «■ ) F rm that Sabbatmng here, the feventb
Jay ™ lid the Sabbath, ' Exod 10. 1 1 fhould have faid r ^om Gjdt
Mm. ) But if it be fo called Exod zo. it is not fo called Gen. a.
for for^yoo Years after. For the firft time we find the word
fabbath, I Exod. 1% »: and then ver y and ipj . «r. ifijuj
thich ^Uces 'tis called ii Sabhath(fbabbat) not rff Sabbath Jiajbabbat)
I of a thing before known; bu/as a thing /Aw ^fj"^
when God h § ad fo given it them it is then«/W («r^ WW
(theSakhth,) For that the Lord hath gmnyw the Sabbath, therefore^
Digitized by the Center
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ii4 Chfijlim Sabbath. Part H.
be giveibym on ihefixtb day the bread of m days. But we do not find
dm he had before given them on the Sixth day the bread of two
days, nor that it was before called a Sabbath* or that he had, before,
given them a Sabbath, - Al\i\\] !i^v:;{ mUvO ^>7t\ 4
But 'tis ra/iW (you fay) the 20.9. and throughout
the Old and New Tefiament^ from the Hebrew root Shabath ^
/f// Sabbath.} I will not quarrel with you for telling us that it
is 7fo ^itf/^ at Exod. 20. 9. becaufe it is fo in our Engljjb Tranf
lattan. But it is not fo in the Original ijebrcw, but a Sabbath
And fo in the parallel place Veut. j^. the feventbday is Shabbat :
not Hajhabbat ; Much lets is it fo throughout tie Old and New Telia*
ment But whether a Sabbath, or tie Sabbath it rs< hot fo called
Jrom Shabath Jo Sabbatife,o: keep Sabbath ; bun from SAaiatb, toRe&.
And ir, iBxod.zc. 11. where this is cited, as an inducement to the
Sabbath there commanded, In fix days the, Lcrd made heaven and
earth- and Jtefted t be f event b day, it is not vajijhbotb (from Ibabatb)
but vajanacb (from nuacbj which is a fjtftiatKat} itaitado* that.
vajifbbotb in the other place is not to be taken at ^forced fenfe ior
fabbaiifmg (as you would have it) but 111 its plain native ii -mfica-
uon in the fame fenfe with janacb for refting^ eeaf^beingqmet.
And jf you had a mind to play the Critick { though, 1 doufrt,.
your talent doth not ly that way) you might obfei.ve, that,, ac-
cording to the 4 nalogy of the tKbrew.Tongue, the Nouns are wont
to be derived from the Verbs, and not the Verbs from the Nouns :
and accordingly we arc not to feck the fenfe of the Verb fhabath
(foreB) from the Noun Sabbath ( as ij derived from hence, ) but,
ot the Homjabbath, from that of the Verb to Reft. ( and your felf
do here own, that the Verb Jbabafh is the Rool). i do.aot deny but
that a Verb (in Hebrew) fometime (but rarely) may borrow (as at
the rebound) a /econdary fgnification (in fome of its remoter Con-
jugations ) froiTj :> Noun which had before ken derived from it in
its proper ftnle. But it's no way likely that Jbabatb, in C*l I iu
hrft Conjugation) Ihould borrow its fignifkatkn from: its. derivative
Noun Jbabbat, which never came in ufc (that we know of] till is 00
l if a t tC ^' , ln thl& * enfc ot ^^.-Cw^or wordfteimvale»tL
the Vzrb fbaeatb is con/bntiy ufcd\ Gen, 8. zz. While t he earth rtt-
Mivneth, feedtime, and hmveft, and ald y and heat^ mdfumvxr, and
uinter, and day and night, Jhall net Ceafe. Wouldryau read it,
ShaU not keep Sabbath t Prov, 18,18. The lot mahth contention
toCeaje. is this to fabbat i/ f e ? Jofh, 12. The manna Ceafedontbe
morrow P10v. 22.io. CaB out the f corner, and^firtf? aUrePrwj*
fiatt Ceafe. Nehem. 4. 1 { . Onr advenes {'aid, Tkty mkto>>
neither
,Part II. The Chrifiian SaUatk 115
neither fee, tiU we come in the midB amongB them, and flay. thetH\
and caufe theworJ^to Ceafe, Nebem. 6. 3, Why fhould/be mrkJCeafc r
iHof 1.4. Tet a little while 1 and I will avenge the blood ofjezreel upon
the houfe of Jehu, and wiU caufe to Ceafe tbe kingdom of thehouje'tkj
Jfrael Lament,. $ : 1 4, 1 5- . The elders have €t*f rdfrom the gate] the
young men from their mufiek ; Tbe joy of our hear t is Get fed r our dance
■is turned into mourning, 2 Chron.ifj^. IVhen Baafha beard it ^ he left
off building Raarnah, and lei his work^Ceafe. Exod. 1 1. tj\ i Te frail
pm away (or taufejo Ceafe) leaven out of your b^ufes. Ezek. 34. iy.
And I wiU^aufo^vtlbeafis t* Ceafe out of the land I aot ta ^tcp Sab-
bath. ) And if thefe places be not enough/ I can furmfli yon with
a gr^at many more, where jkabath doth certatnly^Jfigritfy to reft or
ceafe ; not to fabbatife or kgep Sabbath. So that Gods Hefting or
"Ccafitg to Create, proves nothing ai to the Beginning of the Sabbath.
$!or that Reft began before the end oi thtftxtb day; and continued
-beyond the end of the Seventh, Eighth^ Ntntb day y and (tor ought I
ino\v) nil Now- And as fox the other words Blejjed arid ' fanfiifisd
<///w,e do noimore^know an what time of the day thaii wai, than at
what rime of the day God mVde the Stumor did, Let there benight.
Nor is it at all likely that it was in the Evening, when Night and
fieep were coming on. And therefore, il cur rule mufl be to begin
om fanRtfying' the Sabbath when the Lyd began it (is Repi p. 61 )
fae ar$ yet to. feekwvhen thaf*sn*; 1© vr^NJ iu{m v:;b ihpv&
Yet 1 4m. willing to think> and wld be glad to fee it proved,
I (for I am no eneay to 2 Weekly Sabbath,) that here might be,a Sab-
bath appointed, to be thenceforth obferved IVeekJy^ however dark-
ly infinttatcd, ForftHink fomewhat lefs than an ExprejlCom-
mand recorded may ferve to intimate Gods pleafure, (though nothing
1 kfl will : ferve you for .the Loidt day^) The great oblhcle, it;
That we have here no Command recorded, nor an v mention of
/Wsihcre obferving it, nor any loatfteps ot fuch Ounfejucnt Pra*
ffife (or fo much as the Name of Sabbath) for more than Two thott-
fand five hundred lears after this time; and then accounted (not
I from the firft Creation, but ) from the fifft Raining nj Manna from
whence I am apt to thinkj\m it was not lo obiirved, or it was not
Lneceflary for us to inewit But I find that a p ong and milling
fanfy ( 2s your Language is Repl p. 3 S. ) rmke ym think you lee u \
But 1 cannot fee with thofe Spectacles. Let's fee your 'Proof
Firft { you fay Repl. p. B. ) On the ( event h day God had ended Mi
work whtcb "he had tyiade, and he JoMatifed ou fbe fevent b Jay from* a8
bis work. Gcna.z, Ail this I can alio w, except the word Sabht^cd^
P 2 for
tiyentist Researc
1 16 The ChriftUn Sahbatk Part 1 1 .
for thereaforis but now given. For the word there ufed fignifies nn
more than to ReB or rather to Ceafe. If any where elfe Inch S$H
do from other Circumftances of the place appear to be a Sabbatical
Reft,this imift be from thofe other Gircnmftances^mt from the Signi-
fication of the word Which fignifies but barely /o £e B ( if fo much )
or rather to Ccafe> For fo it is in all the places I cited, and in m&ny
more. And I did fearch with fome diligence for a place where it
might import a fieft (of acfuiefcence) but could not find it. (Per*
haps you may.) I find fuch ac^uiejeenee intimated on thtfixth day %
and {bine before, Cwi. 4, io, ix, 18; 21, 25- , 31. God f aw every thing
fbat he had made ^ and behold it was very Good. But I find it not fo
faid on the Seventh day, but that he Refted, that is Ceajed -to' create.
Butw^tatevtr that ReB was, it was GW's Reft Mot Man s.
. *h A fetoud* Evidence (you fay) U the fame repeated ver.3* Gcdblejfed
the feventh day and faniiified it y becaufe that in it he bad rejlcd from all
bis work which he had created and made. Here it is (by your own ci-
tation}- he Retted from his work (not i# it,) that is^ ne Ceafed fo U
work ; But all this is but One Retting, though it be fo faid iri tw
verfes. And 'tis God s Refting, not Man\
Bur ? at this rate, you may fo husband it as to make this ferve
for five or fix Evidences. 1- On the feventh day God ended his <wori,
i\ that is, he jinijhed or perfeffed his work, namely by adding
this Seventh day to his Work of fix days. a. He Refied 7 w Sabtatrfed f
on the feventh day. 3. God blcfjtd the feventh day } - 4* He fdnffi-
fied it. the fame repeated, Becaufe in it he had reftedfrm all his
wwk. Yet ft ill it is but one Refting, and 'tis from his work which he
had made ; and 'tis God s Refting, not Man's. It is not faid that Man
retted from all his workwbich he had made. But J tis Mans Sabbat ifing
that we are now inquiring for. If it had been faid, (as in the cafe of
the Lords day) After eight days God refied again, and, with Adam and
Eve. It would have been a better proof than all that you bring;
A third Evidence, you fay, is in the cafe of Cain and Afal, Gen- 4« 3-
In proceft of time Cain brought an offering to the Lzrd ; andvtx,^ Abel
aljo brought his offering. Here is a precedent for Sacrifice ; but what's
this to a Seventh-day Sabbath ? But here you tell us ( Enq p. %r t Rep.
p. 8, ) that In grocejl of time\ is, in the Hebrew mi^katzjamfnifn,
(you lhould have faid, jamim, not jammim; inxjammm fignifies
Seas, not days) at the cutting off of days, or the end of days^ that is,
it feems to you 7 at the end of the week ; becaufe after the feventh day
they were to begin to reckon again. 1, 2, 3, &c. (that is, fuppofine them
tia rcckonif weeks, which is the point in queftion. ) But why not
as well tie tnd&f the M<mib ? (for then, we begin, to reckon again
Disitized'bv the Centej
Part II. Tk Cbrijtian Sdbath. "7
i,a,3,&c. for the days of the next Month : ) or, why not the Tea / §*
then again we begin to reckon 1,2,3, for the days .of the firft Month
of the next Year. And, that they did reckon by Months, and^f-f,
we know : 'but not that they did then reckon by Weeks ( before-that
*fE*U i6. from the Raining tfManna.), Ut,Amfwprth tells you,
at the end of days, that is at the end of the Year ( for that days mde-
nnitely,doth often fo figntfy, * T^r; as you may there fee at large if
you pleafe ; ) or elfe(as we tranllate it ) inprocejof time. Which
I take to be the plain meaning of it without any further Critjciim.
At the end.of days, or after days, that is, after fome days io
Mark*. 1. i\ it**, a\ierdays, we tranllate afierfeme days.) Or,
after many days ,' for it was many years a jer thifoftpry of Cam and
Abel, was but a little before the fiirth tf Seth, gea. t V- wnu-h
was when Adam was 130 years old, Gen,, $. a, So Judg. b . (m-
> ,amim) after, days, is rendered after a time (that is, Aw* time after)
Samp/on returned to take her, &c. But if none can tell us of am other
tnd of days at that time, this is a good Evidence, you fay, that theje
Offerings were on the Seventh-day Safrfath. If lhat be all, / can tell
Vou, The end of . the Month, and the end of the Tear, are ^the end of
bays, as much as the end of the fVeek : and thofe we be Aire of,
' this we are not. I doubt fuch Evidence would lcarcc be thought
G&od Evidence iaf^ejitninfier-haU, .
The fourth Evidence ypu tell us, ApAp. 9 . ts from Gen $.11.
Enoch walked with God dree hundred j^ears. WeU, what s this to a
Seventh-day Sabbath? Is it faid he kept a Sabbath three hundred
years < No : But Enoch you i^,ims a Trophet,}\\&t ver bis, and pro-
phefied of the Lords coming to execute judgment, and to convince all
the ungodly. What's this to a Seventh-day Sabbath? HowfoitU
Enoch, you fay, convince others, if bitnfelf did not keep the Sabbath f
But flay a while : The Text you cite doth not fay that Enoch was
to convince them, but he prophefied the Lord would come to convince
them. And, of what were they to be convinced ? of all their ungodly
deeds and all their hardfpeeches againH him (the Lord.) Here's no-
r thing of a Sabbath. Could there be no ungodly deeds or hardjpeeches
againB the Lord, uniefs a Sabbath were then to be kept ?
Another Evidence, had been 13.) lrm " ff f* l ^ h>hMi
6,n,8,p,io. (as here you cite it Jlep.p.io.) where fpeakmg or Abram
and Lot's great number of cattel, it is laid ver. 6. the land was not
able to bear them that they might dwell together (lailiebeth") for their
fubllattte was great Jo that they could mt (lafhebeth) Dwell together;
that is, (you would'ha vc it) they could notfabbatife together. But
this you ate.(ypon fecond thoughts) consented to quit; becaufe you
1 1 $ !fik G&r//?/** £f£to&. Pact J J.
be now aware that lajhebeth is not formed from fbabath (to refit? or
fabbatife as you would have it) but from jafhab y to 2>weUi There-
tore this gives us no further trouble. : w&i ma srii !o;
The next Evidence (which is now the fifth) is from Gen. a6.
Abraham obeyed my voice y and kept my charge, my commandments, ftp
Jlatutes and my laws: And therefore, y<ta think, he kept a Sabbath.
But that's theQuefhon : whether to keep a Sabbath were tbbt a Law.
It was indeed a Law at Exod. 16. but this was long after Abraham 1
time. You fay, 'tis faid in Exod. i<S.a7,i&. Howlrngmllye refufeto
keep my commandments; and the commandment wWichlfiaeltfanho&t,
was, tbatfome of them on the Seve)tfh-d*ywe*t6utu father. Manna.
. Which was a t\ih% whieh God*had tfewly forbid wi.i^i if, a£ But
did <iod forbifli^rafo^ ^ft> gather Manna on tbefeventh dart You
tell us f /?<•/>/. p.p. ) that Righteous Abel> was a perWc^ienUeGW
things; and that Enoch walked witJ> God; niult we' therefore
conclude, that ^ were circumcijedj becaufe.Gad wofc. afterward
«vjr) ;r/>/6 Mofes Exod 4. 20. /*r cirCumctfingx.bechtbdt^x fuch
is your Argument : God was *»gr/ with thol^Xvho^ woiritf ^«/4«T
Matira o n the feventh day ( which God had rhctttaewi? forbidden)
therefore Abraham kept a Sabbath. As to what you fay, Hep!, p. 1 1
If the law Broken by >thc Ifraelites Exod. 16. were the feventh day
Sabbat b, ( meaning the then Jewifl* Sabbath ) then 'tis veryti&y, ons
of the taw kept by Abraham, Gen\n6. Not fo; fcr this (concern-
ing Manna) wis given long after Abraham* time. You migbt\<&
well arguc^ that '//* the law Broken by Mofes, (was that of Circum:r-
/ton; then % th Stay Mely one of the Laws kept, by Righteous Abel
You fay, p. \i. The Dr. do 'b neither offer itor prttend that Abraham
brake the Sabbath: I anfwer, And the Lawyer doth not produce one
Precedent that either He or any man ef/e 7 did keep it, before.tkac
time ; or that ic was his Duty fo to do. You (hould firft mike it
evident that it was His duty, and that he knew it fo to be, and that
that day, before his tim^, was not irrecoverably Forgotten. For
this you telj us that, This being implanted in Adam, wfo was created
in Gods imnge, it might be ( you lhould have proved that it was)
taught down along from Adam in gracious Families from Father U
Sott } ; and fo to Abraham. But,^i*ft, this being a Pbfitive Law
(not Natural) is not one of thofe^whkh are prefumcd to, be r>tf-
r.hw/ea in his Nature. You lhould next fliew that t hi Lnv v >
:n to hi in in hnocency, before he had (by the Fall ) defaced Guds
iti/oge wr him. You fliould thirdly take nonce that TraJition\{fc0tt\
rather to Son) is what you are always mveigbing again fcs:ia
thing of uv Au&Mfy. 4<ou fhoujd fourthly cooler ih*c*tfe
Part II. The ChriJliin Sabbath. n 9
Law of Marriage, was as old, if not older, than you can pretend
that of the Sabbath to be (Gen. 1.2.7 and Gen. the Purport of
which was ( you tell us )1 bey Two /hall be one Flejh : not they three,
four, or five: muft we thence cone liide that Abraham did not £0/0
fo Hagar ! The like of Jacob and many others. And do not your
felf tell us that Polygamy prevailed from Lamech to Malatbt ? even
on divers eminent jn the Church > You Ibould therefore bring fbme
better Argument, than that they were good men y 10 prove that they
did then obferve a Sabbath. The Feaft of Tabtrnacles was a paic
of Gods Jnjlitated worfbip ; and 2>avid^\s a : GWman, a man af-
ter Gods own beart y except in dje mutter of Urtab ; will it thence
[fcllpwy that 2>avid kept the Feaft ofTahrmkfil No ; for we are 1
exprefly told? Neb.%. 17. din froto the days of ' Jijbua the Jon if
Aun, to that day, it had not been done. We muft therefore have
better Evidence, than thit Abra\bam was a good man, to- prove tha t
he kiptthe Sabbat b. Foe it niiyh t r pdli bifc, be A duty, o* it migh c
poflibJjJbare been ianegleSU^foxttrmmoxoilx^)^ that the
pr*cifeV#jr migJu bc fif&tton ^in^ti fo, it was paft recovery.
The fix th Evidence (.wfakk is your lafl ) you tell Us Rep. p. \\ K
hfiom Kxod. 5-. y. { on which yort delcant for three pages ) tfhixh
founts to this : When Mofes and Aarctti had;dcfiRd Pharatk to let
fy'aetfr tire* dafxyomttcyinto the wiJdvnefihfacrifoe to the Lor d y
^wh *t$^?Wty dojrtn binder the people ft cm their wo> k 1 the
people are many, and you make them Reft fromtbeir burdens ; that is,
fry you, Touwake them ieef a Sabbath ; becaufe hjbbattem {ycu nuile
tkem uft or ceafe ) is a dermVrvc from the word fbabath { to resist
ttofc ) from whenee.the word Sabbath is alfodenved.: which I think
Stovexy littk to the purpofe. If &fofg\ and Aaron had defired Pba-
mhj to exeufc thciti froin their work we day in feven\ thi^ would
fevc looked like m Argument that they had, intended bent* forth
fe^keep z Weekly Sabbath { not, that they had done ikfttberfy which
» the point in uuefhonj but whether jufbon ftch day (and no^lher)
to (houH fee tie f event b m conrf e eontmuaifa. fi \om> the firft Crea-
tion, (which I doubt was viol then knowa*nQi\is sow^J would; not
ven iro m .hence appear. And tk>t the word fbaiaib doth not fig.
*fy tQ:keep a Sabbati, but- ba*dy to reft, or ceafe, is fuflfoiently
*cd aiready. If you lay att ErophaGs on jjfhkaMm fa tbe Cou*
ation HipbHy as you-tclLus Repl. p. ) \\% the fame V^rb, ; in
\ $vtm Conjugation, Prov. *&. iS. The Lot mhlboWWions to
**Je [not to keep Sabbath i) And fo art Ncketh. 4. 1 1. And Fioj, 1.4.
J %Ck. % 16. 7. And Exod. tx,t s . And E»Jt. ?4 if. before u+
And in* many other places which I forbear to cite. So that
this
gitized by the Center *~ J^vpnHst Research
120
Tbt Chfifttin Sabbath-
Part If.
\vhat f you are wont ttt'caU 'dark Cmjeffares, we have no Word for
it By three days journey in the wtldcrnefi, you think may be meant
Mount Horeb (it may be lb ) which ( you fay ) Geographers obftrv:
(without hinder am:) was about three das journey, (but then, they,
their wives, children, and.cattel, muft make great marches to get
thither in three days ; for it was at leafl three days journey before
they got to the Red-fea, Num. i j. y, 6, y) where ("acMount Hweb)
the Uvu for the Sabbath Uciu fzy) -was reinforced, (and it muft be
fuppofed, that Pharaoh knew this, which they did not then know
ihemielves ; elfe what doth this figmfy as to Pharaohs Anfweri)
And even this ( if it were to keep a Sabbath ) refers onely to what
they were afterward to do (and we own that after the Law at/ft-
rek or Smai, a Sabbath was to be kept) it fays nothing as to the Time
paH (which is what you were to prove ) that it bad been thus kept
continually ( without interruption ) from Gods ceafing to create, hi-
therto, which yon would prove fromhence, v,*:WA j\*A ;
What you fay Rep. p. i J- of a Sabbath obferved Exod. 16. [ from
the firft raining of Mmtdjbefore the Law at Sinai; is nothing to the
prefent purpofe. That there was a Sabbath appointed from the fim
raining of t$f*nna, is agreed ; the tmefttoais, whether it were ob-
ferved before that time. ^ w*) <**«™ ™fj
' I had fnggefled(Z>//i-.P. 34-) another proof as to this point (for
I am not fo averfe from that
in
of the Weekly Sabbath being obferved
,. 'that'lnKrval","b«t that I would be glad to fee it well proved )
from 'Pharaohs feven fat kine and jeven lean ones, and the [even-full
ears and (even empty ; from the Beafts and Fowls coming aim
the Ark by Sevens, Gen. 1- h |- Gen. 8. zo. and from three dilfano
Intervals of Seven days diftinSly noted, Gen. 7. 4, and 8. 10, ri.
within the compafs of one Year. Which I thought to be a better Ar-
gument {as to this matter of fa£t ) than any you bring. To which
tour Reply is (Repl- p- ) Tw hope I wtU mt oblige you or any
other, to believe I Jo think. ( A very obliging Com pkment ! ) ButI
do think fo, what ever you will be obliged to bejteye. For the trt^from their burdens ;
is,
Exod
Part IT. Th Chrsfii* Sabbath. iit
Vet is the heft I meet with, for meafuring their time by weeks. And
I would not have yon think the worfe of it, for my fuggeftin° ir.
As to that Expreflion of Nebuchadnezzar's being feven years at grafs ; 0
'tis a rough Expreflion ( I was about to fay rude ) but 'tis your Ex'
preffion, not mine; I gave you the words of Scripture, Dan. 4.
fft IhZ}- Nebuchadnezzar s being feven years tamed out to the
beafts of the field. But this Evidence is by you difcarded, as none
of yours ; and therefore I prefs it no further.
Let us then/aw up the Evidence as you lay it. The point in iflu? t
Whether, after God's Ceafing from the work of Creation Gen. k.
before the appointing- a Sabbath, upon the Raining of zJManna,
i6\ they did, during that whole interval, all the while di-
vide their time by Weeks, and #n evstyfeventb day of fuch. Weeks
( reckoned continually from that day of God's Ceafing to create)
keep a Weekly Sabbath, and that the Sabbath afterward from the
fill raining oftJMunna, and that of the Fourth Commandment, was
but a Continuation of that Sabbath, on fuch Seventh day in courfe
from the firB Creation, and no other. For which your Evidence is,
That Inprocefs of time, or { as you will have it ) at the end of days,
that is ( as I underfiand it ) after fame days, or many days ( about 1 j o
Years ) Cain and Abel brought their offerings ; which you take to be
at the end,not offorae Tear, or Month, but at the end of fame week (be-
caufe this heft fuits your purpofe) not of the next week (for Cain and
Abel were not then born) but of fome week about 1 jo years after.
That Enoch (about joo years after this ) walked with God, and pro-
phefied of the Lords coming to judgment, to convince all ungodly men
of alt thetr ungodly deeds and hard words again}! the Lord; and may be
fuppofed ( if Fuch Sabbath wcjse then a duty, and the day known) to
have kept a Sabbath Th«"( about 11 or 13 hundred years after
this ) Abraham ( a very good man ) is faid to have kept all Gods Com-
mandments^ (not\rithUanding that of Polygamy wnhBagar) and
therefore, 'tis hoped, ( if fuch Sabbath were a duty and the day known
to him, ) might keep fftch Weekly Sabbath, on that day. And ( about
4i o years after this ) when tSMofis and Aaron deflred Pharaoh to let
? Jfrael go three days journey into the wildernefs to facrtfice to the
Lord ; he fays to them, Tou hinder their work, and make them ceafe
and therefore you think they did then, and
uent ufe of the number Seven in Scripture ^.ddthj to me [ tver before that time, keep fuch Weekly Sabbath, and juft upon
lent that Number as more than ordinarily conjiderable ; and thoft|that Seventh day in courfe from the firft Creation. And I muft
three diflinB Intervals, of Seven days eac b, particularly noted withinl l eavc it to the Jury, whether they will find all that upon this
the compafs of one Year,is that which(to me)feemsthe greateltln-l Evidence.
timation of any which I meet with,of days then wont to be reckone«| . Now on the other hand ( though I would be content ic were fo)
hy Sevens ;■ and thoogh I do not take it'to be a ancjafive &gumt»li .
yet
l%% The ChrifiUn Sabbath. Part IL
yet it feeras to me fomewhat ftrange ; if it were fo conftantly ob-
ferved, and juft upon that day and no other, that we neither find
%any Command for lo doing Gen. a. nor fo much as the name of Sab-
bath there mentioned, nor any where elfe for more than 2^00 years,
nor any mention ( in the whole hiiiory of that time ) of any that
kept it, nor of any blamed for not keeping it (which after that
time was very frequent,) and that in all thofe long Difcourfes in
the Book of Job, none of his Friends^mongft the many faults they
charge hira with ) fhould ever ikmk of charging him with a
neglcft of the Sabbath day : And that he, when he was fo jealous
of his Sons Curfing God m then heart in the midft of their Feaft-
ings, as that he did every day offer facrifice on their behalf, fhould
never blame them for fuch Feafting tor Seven days together, without
any Sabbath (for ought appears)? iritervening; nor take notice of
the difafter that befel them as a hand of God upon them* for fuch
negle&of the Sabbath; nor any of his Friends fuggeft any fuch
conlidcration : Which makes me doubtful^ that fuch Sabbath had
not been obferved during; that Interval,, or h*d> ldrig before this
time been negle&cd and the day forgot ten. i\vwt^*\ u IT
But after Jfrael came out of Egypt it is agreed^ that God gave
them a Sabbath, { whether then new, or then renewed, I lift not to
difpute.) Andjthat then it was the feventb day in courfe from the firH
ruinmgtf MamaJ. think is agreed alfo. Whethef this from ihefirH
raining of Manna; be alio the feventb in coutjtfrom tbtfirB Crt^m^
neither You nor I know, norany Man eKc. We may tbintji is, or
we thmiiit is not, but we cannot know it : We have no fVord for
it ; and you .bririg -nothing to prove ifrbut dark Gonjeffurm. • The
word Sanfibjy doth not neoeflanly figitfy to Inftitute, but to Cele-
brate, and,in the Fourth Commandmfcrttyhe hmtiwrd (Kiddefb) and
m the fame Conjugation, is indifferently applied fo Go* and to Ma*
(Exod.' 2,0 8 7 lT/) bwMan did not Infhtute. ^That (jod did B/efs
and Sanctify, that is, by fomt&lejfed Aft he did fpecially fignalite
that feventb day ( the firH day on which he did notcteate, ) ifs Very
clear ; And fo he did the fir ft day of Ckrift's Refurre&im -declaring
mightily our LordJefusChtiH to be the Son of God by tbe'jlefttxrctthn
from the d?ad, Rom. 1.4. which dayChrift did Ct/efrate, \vith his
uifciples, more than Ottce; ( and they oftW afterward ; ) which vet
you will not allow t6 fccih In/iimti(m. And what you tfrge, that
\ at Exod. f i5. ) we have no /0W that the day was 'cbatigtil, y<>\\
pJeafe your felf wkh\putting TwoQiieftiorkS into One'(-as oft you
do) and then putting the Proof on the wrong fide : That it was t%in
on tht Sev*nth4a/irdi^efir(tN^
tr{ . . £X. «t but
Part II. The Chriftit* Sabbath. 1 2 5
but whether fo from the firH Creation 'tis You are to prove. The
Point is clear on Our fide, the Doubt is on Yours. Tis you are*
to bring a Word to prove, that a day was before obferved, and that
\ • .Von think it ftrange that I fhould take this ( from the firH raining
of Manna) to be a new Epoch* (or time to reckon from, ) and not
a continuation of the old. My Rcafon for it, is becaufe I think
that the feventb in courfe from the fitH Creation, had either not
been obferved at all, or had long before this time been forgotten
' find I gave you this .further Reafbn fot it, becaufe (Saturday) th#
dap. next before the Raining of Manna, feems not to have been
a Sabbath ( as it ought to have been if t this were a continuation ot
a former eourfe of Sabbaths) for, on that day, the Quails came up
and coveted die Camp, and they ^werc not forbid H gather thetti p
Exod. 16.8, 13. but on (Saturday) the feventb day after, they ar*
forbid to gather Manna, becaufe K was the Sabbath, ver s, xz, 2^1? ,
2,0. Which fliews a manifeft difference between thofe two Satur-
days. And.that they did a&pally gather the Quaik that day, ap-
pears Numb. 11 }x, where 'tis ex^refly faid, That they gathered
Sffails, al! that day, (that is, all the remainder of that day nextbe-
fore the raining of Manna,) and aU that night, and #/ the next day.
That the feventh day Sabbath from the Creation,- if at all ob-
ferved at firft, might in the fpac* of 1500 yeajs catoe tobe negleft-
t& and forgotten, is not ftranga, if we confide? that the Tafs^er
had fo been from the days of King So&mo* to •ffizctiab'l time ; and
the Feaft of Tabernacles, from, theidays of Jojhuab the fon of Nun,
till the days of Nebemiab ; and 'if* this feventh day from (he firfi
Creation came once to be forgotten, it could not be reftoved again
( without a Miraek ) as thoie other Feafts might ; and muft there-
fore he thenceforth no more obferved, or elfeitom fome aew begin-
ning. And that there- might be:fuch ncwl>nnirtjg (a&fifomtbe fidfc
raining of Manna) is not ftrange, fince we fee the fame as to the
Beginning of the Tear, Exod. 1 i.i. This month pall be untoyonthe be-
ginning of months jt (ball be the firH month of theTear to you. At what
Month they did before begin their Year, is not certain ; bivt from
thenceforth it was to begin at the Month Ahib or Nifan. So neither
uncertain on what day they did before begin their fVeek (if at all
they hadWceki)but from thenceforth they were to begin it from the
ftventh day from the firft raining ofMannahutfoom what part of that
day, it is not faid. ; Tis therefore incumbent on You to prove (if you
can) that (nbtwithltmdmg thefeprefilmptions)a weekly Sabbath was
fe/crrobfei*ved,ahd jujiutxon that day, and thac it did begin/*^ at Sun-
feL < N Q. 2 Your '
124 Tk ChrifiUn Sabbttk fart II.
Your next Step, i S) That this Seventh-day Sabbath of the Jews.
■ was (before the entrance of Sin) given in Paradife, to all Mankind]
and by Chrift our Mediator zndRedeemer : which you have not yet
proved, as we (hewed before. That it was not by all Mankind ge-
nerally Oaferved (but by the Jews onely, in their time,) I think you
doagree. For that it was to be a Vijlinahe Sign you grant ; and I
think it was to diftinguifh thofeof ffrael from other Nations (be-
came it is exprcfly faid, a Sign between Me and the Children of If
rael, Exod. j 1. 17.) You think it is, to dijlmguijh Gods people from
others : But it comes much to one, for you tell us alfo, that ffrael
m Egypt was the whole vifible Church; fo that Gods people, and the
people of the Jews, will be much the fame. And therefore, I pre-
f ume, you do not think that any other National the jews and their
frtfelytcs ( Jews natural,™ Jews natural/zed) did obferve the Tewlfh
JWDbath. How could it elCe be a Di/linffivc mark.
And I do not find that any other Nation but the Jews, (nor they
till af ter their coming out of Egypt ) did keep any Sabbath at all, or
lo much as meafurc their time by Weeks ( of (even days) for many
Fol ^ r ll ? ls time » nor car]i€r (*« 1 k »°w of) than the times
ol Gnnibanity, when the Obfervatim of the Lords day did intro-
duce that of where Chiiftianity was received. This I told
"Jv? t,mc P- *■ ro * llich y° u °wk no Reply, but that
eiWr. Chafy you think, is exprefly for it, Repl. p. 16. (but you give
us no proof either of his or your own. ) But if Mr. Chafy did think
io ( without any proof) arc you willing ( in this Difpute) to be
concluded by Mr. Chaffs Opinion ? If not, why fhould I ? If Mr.
Lhafys Opinion, or the common Opinion (as fbmeuines you fpeak) are
to conclude You and Me ; this Difpute (of a Saturday-Sabbath) will
befoondeterniined. But if it be Mr. Chafy's Opinion, then it is
( I fuppofe) Mr. Chafy 's Mftake. But the way of Argument between
us two, is, What Word is there for it ? and where is it fo mitten f
Yet 1 am herein fo fur with you, that if you fliew me any Au-
thor (lacred or prophane) older than Chrtftianity, who tells us of
any Nation ( other than the Jews) who did (before Ch rift's time )
"leafure their time by Weeks (of feven days) I will admit it (fo far)
as a competent Proof There may perhaps be fucb (and therefore
a ♦ i? T l * j* reB, ptt>nr m the Negative ) But I do not remember
that hitherto I have met any fuch. And when I made out bi s fair
with Worfhipmg the Sun upon Sunday, without attempting to Lw
tha " h ^'^J*forc Chrift) did obferve weeks at all
. *hall now tell tyou further, that as late asOwV and Augnftuss
time,
Part II- Th Chrift*n Sdbtth. 12c
time, flicit Week (if you will give me leave to call it a Week) wis
' a week of eight days ( not of Seven days) which is not to your pur-
pofe, but dire&ly againft it.
I Dr. Beverage tells of fuch a Week of Eight days in jtuguflus's time
at Rome ; as appearing by a Stone there digged up, containing a
Roman Cole ndar, to that puipofe. And Ovid tells us the fame in
S his Faft.lib. t. verf. j-4. very diftinftly,of this amongft other days.
Est quoq; qui Nona femper ah Orbe redit.
There is ( he fays ) a day -which doth, in a continual circulation, on the
Ninth day return again; meaning their Nundin* or Market-day.
Which thence had its Name of Nundina , quafi Novendina, as
Vofftas (in his Etymohgtcum ) and other Cr it ices obferve. Whereas
if they had difUnguifhcd their time into Weeks of feven days, no
doubt but their Markets would return on the Eighth day ( or,
as we fpeak, on that day jennight, ) the fame day of the next
1 Week. Of which if you defire to fee more, you may confult a
Large Volume of Commentators on Ovid's Works, printed at Frank-
ford 'in the year 160 1. in their Notes on this Verfe of Ovid Where
we have this Roman Calendar at large ; and therein the Eight days
of their Week are defigned by the Eight Letters ABCDEF GH,
! iuft as, in our Calendars, our Seven days are defigned by the Seven
[ Letters, ABCDEFG. And fo from the beginning of the Ca-
lendar to the end,*as is in ours. Which Calendar is there tran-
ftribed from Faulus Manutius, in whofe Works it is to be feen alfo,
(and, I think, more than once,) and (I am told) in other Authors
[ alfo. l Tis plain therefore, that fo late as Auguflus, the Romans
I did not diflinguifh their time into Weeks of feven days 1 Nor do I
know of any People that did fo, except ihejews.
And this leads me to another Fanfy of yours, ofwotjhiping the Sun
upon Sunday ; of which you leem very fond. For we are reproached
with this Sun-wot fop t or mrfbiping the Sun upon Sunday , above
fourty times. And Enq. p. 88. you would have it thought to be fo
in Job * time, and the name oi our Week-days fo ancient. And
I tell us Em. p.90. a Romantic k Story out of Ferftegan ( but without
I any proof of what he fays ) of our Saxon Anceftws .- who yet were
' later than the beginning of Chriftianity ; and therefore nothing to
' the purpofeifbis Story had been true. I had anfwered all this fo
fully, and {hewed you the true Original of the Names of our
Weekdays, Life. p. 63, 64, 6s, 66. and that (for ought appears) they
I be later than Chrift's time ; that, if you had not been very fond of
the Fanfy, you would not again (as you do often in your Reply )
.1 run
126 Tht Chriftim Sibbxtb. Part II.
run Tfmfms upen»it, without' bringing any proof for it But Mr.
Chaff's ■authority to which you refer us Rep. p. 5T, jo", J"> But;
when you can (hew any Writer ( Heathen or Chriftnn ) older than
Chriftianity, who mentions any of the Weekdays by any of thofe
Name j,(orind~eed who mention any Weeks of Seven-days, other than
taofe of the Jews,) it will be time to think further of it^- The oldelt
Heathen Author that I can find to mention them, is Dio C*ffius,\\ T hd
lived about 230 years"arter Chrift's time; who tells us it was then
a New thing) unknown to the Ancient Greeks. You ought therefore
to have {hewed, if you could, that fome Author, older than Chri*
ltianity,had fomewhere ufed fome of thofe Names. Which you hawe
not dohe^ and I believe cannot do. And therefore your whok Story
of wor/bipiKg the Sun upon Sunday, mot e than upon other day of the
week fif they had fucn weeks )or in contradiltin&ion to other days,
is I ihirik,. a Groundless Fanfy ,if not a contumelious Reproach on the
Cbriftian* Religion. , >l •-. 'utyvt .0 rh^ff
I ihould now have done with this, but that I find my ftlf here
c&igjflPwMtwhat I can by no means admit. I 1 v >cfj m\vu\
'Yau tejf its Re pi pifi'. 'The Original of tbafe Names of.Days tie
Dr. -agrees to- be from Hekthenip Idols. And p. j-8. The Names of
lbs 'Days of the Week, be Idolatrous, as the Dr. agrees. And again,
If "the Do^or will retain the old Idol Names without fcruple, not-
withstanding his own acknowledgment whence they' are, you cannot help,
it. And yet again,/* find of holding faff the Idol Names of Days. ■'
Hold ! hold ! not too fall. Wheredoth the Dotlor agree that the
original of thofe Names is Idolatrous ? or from Heathenifh Idols ? or
any thing to that purpofe ? Surely the Reader may think, that the
Dotlor had faid fome fuch thing, or elfe you would not fo confidently
have faid it of him. I challenge you to fhew,if you can, any Saying
of mine to that purpofe. I had laid Difc.-f.66. that they are Treea-
rtous and ajfgned at pleafure, (is having no firm foundation,: that I
ksow of,in Natural Phi Ibfophy,) which is the utmofl youampretend
to, as of mine : But do you think, all that is Precarious (in Natural
Philofophy) or Names 'imp'ofed at -pleafure, to be therefore Idolatrous.
Thofe who gave Names to yon and Me, did arbitrarily give us our
Names. They might have calied¥ou^»,and Me Thomas,^ they had
fo thoiigh t fit, (and then our Names wbu!d have been fo, which now
are othenvife.) ButI hope there was nothing at Idolatry in the cafe.
You lay, The Sun and Moon^ &c. ( from whence they are named)
were Heatheni/h Idols. Hold there ! The Idols of the Heathen are
fiver arid gold, the work'Df mens 'hands, ( or perhapsof meaner ma-
terials;.) But the Moon, and Stars, are the gaod Crexfmes of*
. " God
Part II. Tbt Chrifun Sabbiih. 127
[Ct*\ made for the benefit and ufe of Man. May we not Name the
Sun and Moon becaufe fome Heathens have worked them ? Sure
U c may. When any are fo vain as to wtjbtp them, this doth not
! make them Idols (agaiiifttheSwcmdCommttdmenty butMf C»rff
(againft the Firfl : ) 'tis rather Tolytheijm than Idolatry m ftnetnefs .
of Speech. 'Tis true that an Image of the Sun or Moon (if made
to be worfhiped) may become an Idol, (and fo m&y an Image of GW
alfo,) but this doth not make the San and Mom to be lads. The
Sign of the Sun, the Moon, the Star, the Seven Stats, upon a Sign-
Poll in London, (which give names to the Shop or Houle where they
hang,) I do not take to be Idolatrous : And I know not why they
may not as well give names to a Day, as to a Hottje. 1 know no more
Idolatry inSunday, thm the Sun-lavetn, or &fars-bU.
We are exprefly forbid (you fay Rep p. j8) to mention the Names
of Idols. But I do not take the Sun, Moon, and Stars to bc /#;
' at leaf! nbtjtoi Idols as we may not name. Or, if fo, why do; YOu
•■name them'f And if the names of Idols may not at all he taintdby
m ; How ii it thnz you tell us of Saalmd Molech ? &7. p. 8 b, 89.
indhow is it that we come to hear of Baalim and JJbtcrotb ^ and
■Milehom, and Remphan? of Jupiter, Mars, Merevry, Dtana, Caftor
and VoMux, in :the facred Writers r ? ...
I defire you id forbear hereafter ( without giving it znybard
word} to faV The DotlbY '/greet, that the Original of thefc Names
is Idolatrous. What you or others may think of it (who rake down
without chewing miVRomaHtkk Story) I leave to them : But/ do
not agree, nor do I think it to be Idolatrous. And you might have
known that I do hot : I am fure you cannot kpm that / do My Words
:*ere plain, and full, (Drfc. V :66.) Whether on each of theje Days,
■they did wrjhip thofe tfjpcejrve "Planets, as fv many Gods, legnmtjuy;
do I think it. I had tcfld you very plainly (and yfeu could hard-
ly miftake me, exempt wilfully) from whence 1 thought theft names
were taken, and from whence they were not, Difc./>. 6>, 66*, 67. Not
from the number of the Heathen Gods (as if they had been but
Set-en; ) but from the number of the Seven tlantts, (which I do not
take to be Gods, but the gosdCrea twes of God : ) and not from a Rt-
■fowwbutan /y^foV^^Waccdrint ; and,how they came
to be fo called, and in this order. And, of what Jntiquity : Not olda
than Chriftianity. And therefore you do mf wrong to fay the 2)aff*
-meet it to be idolatrous. I faid ortely it was Precarious ( not idola-
trous) But, it feenis, if I grant an Inch, you'l take an Ell. Now
whether this he rtt,. Jrtifice, ox Legerdemain, ( thus to Palm upon
•mfcjl whtther Jmfojingupcn the Reader'SnlptJing upon all tbt>Worfd,to
StCP f ' pis*
i a8 The Chript* y Sabbath* Part II.
pre-po^ and prejudice theReader,i very ill Bleat ^highly blameable
or what other hard name to give it(out of your copia verhorttm or Ac<u
demy of Complements) I fhaU leave it to the Reader. I am loth to
call it Slander or Calumny; But I am fure it is not/air PraBife.
I conrels I might have fpared faying fo much, as that it was Pre.
carious, ii I had known what improvement would have been made
of that word; Idoufually Avoid delivering an Opinion, in cafes
by the by, which might fuggefl matter of" difpute between us. But
I find that, even lo, I am not fecure: For if I do not fay what you
would have me, then (as if you were drawing a Chancery-Bill) you
will fay it for me; and if then I do not exprefly Deny it, you will
take it for granted. Thus when, t 0 that Objection, itntCbriftmajl
a of Humane Injhtution, I had anfwered (Z>ifc. p. i 3 .) Be it fa
( that is. If it be fo, or Suppofe it be fo) hut the PaS-over wis of Z>*
vine Infittutim ; yet,&c. Now becaufe I had not told 'you, what I
think of Cbrtfimafi you will {Rep/, p. j.J Where firft you
change my Be tt Jo into So be it, and then into f admit itiho:
and then, this lays a/tde all Holy-days of humane Infiitutkn ; as if I
had laid fo And the like very often. But I am not now anfwering
a Lbancery-Btll : and therefore I do not allow you to take my Silence
to be Confent. As when (En ? . p.8 P . ) you fuggefl, as if aVivine
might not wear a Black Gown (as well as a Barriffer) without being
reputed one of the (Black-coat) Chemarims, whom God threatens to
cut ojf : I would not be thought of that Opinion, though I did let
"f'7'™, aD Anfwer, as being nothing to the purpofc of a
Saturday Sabbath.
Butktmedefireyou (before we part) not as an Adverfary, but
as a Friend, not to be too lavifhof your language in reproaching the
Lords day; even what we take to be the Lords-day. It may be I for
ought you know) what we call it. You know it hath been fo
thought by the Generality of Cbriftians all along, and is fo at this
day. And though you may think your felf herein Wifer than all
Mankind yet you may be miftaken : And (if fo) then, WhofeZW
is.it and whofe Worfbip, which you fo of t reproach KWorfhipinr
the Sun upon Sunday? f is not fumble to that tenderneft that you
lometmieprofefs, to venture fo daringly upon that wherein, if you
be miftaken you be dangeroufly miftaken; and 'tis highly blameable
( if 1 may ufe your own wortfs ) io to Venture. I can bear the re-
proaches you call .upon me all [along, ( without any juft occafionfor
being lo charged,) but I would not have you reproach the Lords day
I have now done with your Reply, fo far as I thought needfuf to
take notice of it. Many things I have let pafs, as not pertaining to
" . this
Fart II. The Chriftian Sabbath. 129
this bufinefs. And perhaps even fomewhat of this might have been
fpared. If in fome particulars I have exprefled my ftnle other wife
than fome others before have done, Veniam dahimus pretimujque
vieffim; and perhaps if fome of them had before contidered what
now I write, they might have been of the fame opinion. However,
as to the main point in queftion, the Generality of Chriftians I take
to be concurrent with me ; and if in fome particulars we differ, they
have my Reafons for what I fay.
I fliall briefly fumme up the shief points in difoute between you
and me.
That Chrift, as God, (in union with the Father and Holy-Ghoft,)
did create the World, I readily grant. But -ssaxfingly (in contradi-
ftincHonto the Father and Holy-Ghoft,) nor as our Mediator and
Redeemer, ( God and Man. ) For it is the Man Chrift Jefus, that is
Mediator between God and Men: but he was not then Man. Nor
was there any Occafion for a Redeemer, before the FaU of Adam:
which was not till after the World was created. And I prefume,
when you confider of it, you do herein agree with me, whatever
unwary expreffions you might have let fall.
I agree alfo thatGWcreated the World in Six days • that is, that
in every of thofe days he created fomewhat ; as is declared mGen.x.
But in what part of each day he did create each particular, we do
not know ; Nor, that he did imploy the whole day therein. ( And in
this, I think , you may agree with me alfo.) For the Creation of
Eve was (for ought we know) Gods loft work of Creation; which
was certainly linilhed before the End of the Sixth day. For, after
this, Ihe was given as a Wife to Adam, with the Inftitutfon of Mar.
riage, and the Nuptial Benediction, Be fruitful and multiply, on the
Sixth day.
I agree alfo, that there was, on the Firft day, 2)atinefiand Light,
(and lb on the Second, Third, and other days, ) and that Darknefs
was before Light. But, how long it had been dark before'God faid Let
there be Light ( whether jufl twelve hours, neither more nor lefs )
we cannot tell : Much, lefs that every of thefe days did begin at
Sun-fet ( before there wasa Sun,) or what is equivalent to it, as yen
would have it. We have no Word for it, nor is it fo Written. Tis
fyit your Fanjy, or f as in your own language ) nothing but dark con-
jeffures (very dark) or at moft, feme uncertain Jewifo Traditions,
later than our Saviour's time (fori thinkfew of the Rabbins a'refo
eld;) And I do not know but that (fince that time) Chriftians may
sndeiftaod the Bible as well as they. And fure we ar*j that both in
.the Old and New Teflamenr, days are other wife reckoned; the
R Eve-
! jo The ChriftUn Sdbath Part II.
Evening being accounted as belonging to the day pajl y not to the
day to come on the morrow.
I agree alfo that God did on the Seventh day, Reft or oeafe n
Create ; that is, that the Seventh was the firft day ( though not dip
fir/i Moment) in which he did mt-create.
I agree alfo that GWdid Blefs and Santiify the Seventh day;
that is, that he did Celebrate or Signalize (by fome Holy and Bkjfed
At\ of Providence) this Seventh day more than the Eighth or Ninth
or thofe that follow (though in thefc alfo he ceded from Creating : )
Perhaps by that Bleffed fromife of the Seed of the Woman on this
day. But, on what part of this day he did begin thus to Blefs and
Sanftify it, we cannot tell : Much lefs, that it was juft at Sun-fet.
And, whatever it were, it doth not appear to have been during the
State of Innocence (as you would have it, without alleging any
thing to prove it) but might be ( for ought appears) after the Fait.
Nor is it faid that Adam and Eve did blels or fandify it, or that they
were commanded fo to do ; much lefs that they were commanded
for ever after to fanftify every feventh day m courfe from hence, and
no other, to the end of the Werld; as you would have it. Nor do
there appear any footfteps in hiftory ( facred or orofane ) that any
fuch Sabbath was obferved, or the name of Sabbath ever ufed, before
that of Exod. 16. after IJraeh coming out of Egypt : And what-
ever inducements we have fo to think, are but Conjectural; we have
no Wwd for it, nor is it fo Written.
I do agree alfo, that zfaxIfratZi coming out of Egypt, a weekly
Sabbath was appointed, to them, on the Jeventh day in courfe from
the firft raining of Manna: But whctheT this (from the firft raining
of Manna) were alfo a feventh in courfe from the firft Creation; we
cannot tell : Nor are we fure that this courfe of Sabbaths, even to
the Jews, did continue till Chnfts time, but might (for ought we
know) be interrupted and forgotten during the Babylonilh Cap-
tivity, and after reftored by tiehemiah, either on the fame or fome
other day, and fo continue till Chnfts time : Nor do you think ( as
fometimes you tell us ) that any other nation but the Jews ( and their
Prpfelites) "did then obferve this or ihy other Sabbath ; nor ( I think)
earlier than the times of Chriftianky. I add, Nor doth it appear
that any other Nation (before the tirties of Chriftianity ) didmea-
fur^, their lime by Weeks (of fevendays) as they did by Months
and Tears; or that even the Jews fa did before that of Exod. 16.
Much lefs, that the names of Saturday, Sunday, Monday, &c. were
fo much as known before that time ; or that, even then, they were
taken up upon an Idolatrous account (as you imagine) butonely an
Jjlrologicaf mount with refpeft to the Seven Timet s. I
Part II. The Chrijlian Sdbath. i?i
I agree alfo that in the Fourth Commandment on Mount Sinai a
weekly Sabbath is appointed, on the feventh day after fx days of \
labour : But that this muft be ( till the worlds end ) juft on the
feventh in courfe from the firft raining of Manna (as wasthat of the
Jews,) or (as you would have it) theieventh in courfe/rcwi the firft
Creation, I do not find; but think our Lords-day doth as fully an-
fwe.r the Words and Defign of the fourth Commandment as did,
\ then, that of the Jews : and is as much fpecificated by the praElife
\ and appointment of Chriji and his Apofiles and the Chrijlian Church,
• (reckoned in courfe from Chrift's Refurre&ion ) as was that by
Mofes from the raining of Manna. ( The fourth Commandment re-
I quires a Day ; and the Praftife of Chrift and his Apoftles, dire6U
to Which day. ) And I think we have as clear Evidence that our
Lords-day is that in a continual fucceflion from the Lords-day in
the New Teftament ( on the firft day of the Jewifh Week) as you can
\ have that our Saturday is in a continual fucceflion from the Jewifh
I Sabbath on their feventh day; and much more than that it is fo in a
; continued fucceffion from the firft Creation.
And in every of the points wherein we differ, I think I have fo
I fully anfwered all your Obje&ions and Allegations, that no indiffe-
' rent Reader will doubt of it.
And therefore, upon the whole matter, I fee no reafon why either
You or We (hould negleft to Celebrate the Lords-day, or change it
^ for your Saturday-Sabbath.
I have forborn giving you hard words (faveas the Arguments
may pinch hard ) unlefs perhaps in returning your own words upon
you. Which if they were foft words as coming from you, I hope
you will not think them hard from me. Or it even therein you
f think I have been toofevere, I beg your Pardon. But defire you
I withal to confider, that, when you Magifterially affirm fo many
things of which you give fo little proof, and ly fo open and
i obnoxious to Exceptions all along, Difficile eft Satyr am non
fcribere. My defign in writing is to Aflert the Truth, and Pre-
1 ferve the Teace of the Church , in a point which I think Ma-
terial: And am forry that therein I nave Tou my Adverfary.
For I have no ill Will to your Perfon, though I cannot approve
your Opinion. But am
SIR,
Sept. g.? *Tour wry Humble Servant,
John Wallis.
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